AkuRoku story
by organization-fan
Summary: Roxas har recently moved to town and there he finds his first love... who happens to be a boy. How will Roxas' mother react to this?   WARNING! Contains Shonen-ai / BoyxBoy. Don't like it don't read it.
1. Chapter 1

Axel slowly raised his head from his pillow and sat up in the bed. He watched the glowing red numbers on the alarm clock on the table beside his bed.

6.00 am.

He sighed and lied down on his back closing his eyes, but was unable to fall asleep. He turned on the side, facing the wall, and then turned again, now looking out over his room.

He sighed again and got up. He grabbed a red T-shirt and a pair of black jeans that lay on the floor at his feet, pulled the T-shirt over his head and drew his hand through his red, spikey hair while putting on a pair of shoes.

Quietly he opened the door to his room and walked toward the kitchen. The smell of alchohol filled the hallway and made him feel sick.

In the kitchen he opened the refrigerator, and the stench of rotten food and more alchohol hit him like he'd walked into a wall.

Axel quickly closed the door and opened a cupboard above the clogged up sink. There he found some crackers that he ate while standing.

He then walked out of the kitchen and out through the door to the apartment where he lived with his parents.

The black and red backpack on his back weighted a ton and his steps echoed with a hollow sound as he made his way down the stairs.

After three floors he finally stood in front of the front door. He pressed down the handle and forced the door open, stepping out on the front yard.

The sun was just about to rise and made the waterpuddles on the ground glow in different shades of red and pink. But Axel hardly noticed, he simply walked right through the puddles while heading for the town square.

At the town square he looked around, not knowing why he was there in the first place. It had just become a habit of his to come here, exactly why he didn't know.

Then he spotted something by the fountain in the middle of the square. He hid behind a bush while focusing his eyes on the boy who was sitting on the egde of the fountain. He had blond, spikey hair and appeared a bit younger than Axel.

A sudden 'beep' broke the silence and Axel pulled back behind the bush when the boy took out a cellphone. The boy watched the display before putting the phone back into his pocket. He stood up and walked away.

Axel remained behind the bush, even after the boy had disappeared. He didn't know why, he just stood there. After a while he took out his cell and sweared as he saw the time.

"Fuck it, I'm gonna be late." he said and started half running towards the school.

"Axel, late again." the teacher said as Axel casually walked through the classroom door. "That's the third time this week."

"Yeah, yeah..." Axel muttered while walking to his usual seat in the back of the room.

All the others were whispering and giggling, some casting admiring glances, and some glaring angrily at him.

Axel didn't care about any of them, he never did. He simply took out his books from the backpack and opened them. The rest of the day went on just as all the others; slowly and painfully.

At last the bell rang, announsing freedom for all the students.

All of the others in Axel's class talked about what they were going to do after school, while Axel quietly sneaked past them on his way to his locker.

On his way to the locker his emerald green eyes caught a glimpse of something behind a storage house. Without knowing what he was doing, he started walking toward the storage house.

As he looked around the corner he saw the blond from this morning, surrounded by Seifer and his gang.

"You chose the wrong person to bump into." Seifer grinned.

"I said I didn't do it on purpose!" the blond said, his voice shivering.

"Why, did you now?" Seifer teased before leaning in to the blond. "Well, what's done is done, and you'll pay for what you've done." he said, his face only a few inches away from from the blond's.

"That's enough." Axel said and stepped forward.

Seifer turned around and glared at him. "What're you doin' here?" he growled.

"Watchin' the most pathetic beatup in my life." Axel said casually and walked closer. "Makin' 'im pay is understandable, but doin' it three on one's just lame. Even for a guy like you. Got it memorized?"

The blond boy about to get beat up looked up at his red-haired savior, amazed by his calm attitude.

"Hey you, Seifer's still older than you, y'know, so you better start showin' some respect!" said Rai, one of Seifer's companions.

"Then why don't you pick a fight with me and leave that shrimp out of it?" Axel teased.

Seifer opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted when Lexaeus, the strongest guy in the whole school, and Zexion, the smartest guy in school, came walking towards them. They were both third year students, and they were also part of the school's disciplinary committee.

"What's going on here?" Zexion asked.

Lexaeus quietly stood behind him with his muscular arms crossed over his broad chest, making Zexion look ridiculously small since Lexaeus was at least a head taller than him.

"Nothing." Seifer muttered and started to walk away. As he passed Axel, he whispered: "I'll get you next time." in a dark, threatening voice.

Axel didn't move a muscle, not in any way showing that he had hear the older boy's threat.

"Well, we should get going." Zexion said and he and Lexaeus walked away from the schoolyard, leaving just Axel and the blond left.

Axel also started to walk, but stopped as the blond called out to him.

"Wait! Th-thank you for saving me."

Axel didn't reply and started walking again, but was once again held back by the blond boy calling.

"I'm Roxas." He said. "What's your name?"

Axel slowly turned around and looked closely at the boy named Roxas before answering. "The name's Axel. Got it memorized?" He then turned around and walked away, leaving Roxas standing alone in the empty schoolyard.

"...Axel..." Roxas said to himself, smiling. "Thanks."

Axel opened his eyes and looked at the alarm clock.

6.00 am.

"Why do I keep wakin' up this early?" he muttered to himself while getting out of the bed. He got dressed and walked out into the hallway, whitch was filled with the smell of smoke and alchohol. In the kitchen he found a bag of chips, whitch he took with him as he walked out the door to the apartment.

He sat down for a moment outside the door and ate some chips before continuing down the stairs. After opening the heavy front door he started walking around aimlessly, and ended up at the town square.

"Axel!"

Axel looked up hearing someone call out his name, and saw Roxas, the blond boy from yesterday, sitting on the fountain's edge.

"Hey, Axel, why don't you come over here?" Roxas called, waving and smiling.

But he stopped waving as Axel walked right past him and in among the houses on the other side of the square. Roxas lowered his hand and a wondering look replaced the smile on his face. "What was that about?"

"Axel, you said?" Roxas's new friend, Sora, asked him during the lunch later that day.

"Yeah, that's him." Roxas said.

"That guy's nothin' but bad news." said Riku before putting a piece of food in his mouth.

They were all three in the same class, since Roxas moved to town last week in the middle of his first year of high school. Sora had immediately welcomed him to their little group, and Riku didn't seem to bother.

"What do you mean 'trouble'?" asked Roxas curiously.

"I take it you haven't heard anything yet." Riku said.

"There are lots of rumors going 'round about him." Sora said. "For example..."

"Hey, I'm the one talkin' this time!" Riku interrupted. "Okay, so here's the deal. Axel's a second year student, and a real troublemaker. He's always late for everything, drives the teachers completely insane and gets into fights every day. I've even heard that he shot a guy that wanted to pick a fight."

"I've heard that he stabbed a guy once." Sora said, shuttering by the thought of it.

"And there are more stories similar to those, I once heard that he pushed someone off the school building." Riku filled in.

"Well..." said Roxas slowly. "I just don't believe he's actually done all of that."

"Belive what you want, it's true." Riku said. "Everyone knows."

"Well, I don't know." Roxas said to himself. "I just don't know..."

School was over and Roxas was on his way back home, he was the last person there, when he heard a strange sound coming from a place near the school wall. He slowly approached the source of the faint sound, and stopped at what he saw.

Axel was sitting behind a big tree, crouched, his arms wrapped around his legs and his forehead resting on his knees. As Roxas slowly walked up to him, the redhead raised his head and looked up at him. His emerald eyes were filled with such sadness and pain, Roxas almost started crying just by looking into them.

"What do you want?" Axel said with a mix of sadness and anger in his voice.

Roxas didn't reply. He quietly sat down beside Axel, who looked at him with a slightly irritated, but also surprised look on his face.

Roxas slowly reached out his hand and gently placed it on Axel's bare arm. Axel looked even more surprised, but didn't try to shake off his hand. He then, slowly and hesitantly, placed his hand on Roxas's knee. Roxas smiled a little, and didn't move.

They sat like that a while, Roxas's hand on Axel's arm, and Axel's hand on Roxas's knee.

"I don't believe in the rumors about you." Roxas suddenly said.

"Oh, so it seems you've heard 'bout me then." Axel said.

"Yes, I have." Roxas confirmed. "But I don't think you've done all that."

"And why not?" asked Axel in an amused tone.

"Well..." Roxas said. "I find it hard to believe that you've stabbed or shot someone, and I don't think you'd actually push someone off the roof."

"Then what if I told you my dad's been in jail for killin' someone?" Axel asked.

"Then I'd probably say that just 'cause your dad's killed someone, that doesn't mean you'd do the same."

"And what if I said I've actually shot someone?" Axel asked, sounding quite amused.

"Then I'd say that you probably just want to get rid of me." Roxas said, smiling at Axel, who gave him an amused smirk in response.

"Any other guy would've ran away a long time ago, or not even come here in the first place." he said. "But you...you're...different somehow."

He then stood up, starting to walk away, and Roxas quickly got on his feet.

"Wait!" he called, and Axel stopped, looking at the blond running up to him. "Where do you live?" Roxas asked.

"Pretty close to the town square." Axel responded.

Roxas smiled. "Me too." He then followed as Axel walked towards the square, the smile still on his face.

"My house's in that direction." Axel said as they reached the town square, pointing to the left.

"Mine's in that direction." Roxas said, pointing to the right.

They stood there a while, not moving nor talking.

"Roxas..." said Axel suddenly.

"Wha..." Roxas started saying, but got interrupted as Axel pressed his lips against the blond's.

Roxas pulled away, surpised look on his face. "What're you doing?"

"Just had to..." said Axel, moving closer to Roxas again. "...check...something." His lips met Roxas's again, but this time the blond didn't move away.

Axel put his hands on Roxas's back, pulling him closer, as his tongue slipped inside the other's mouth.

Roxas closed his eyes, slowly wrapping his own arms around the redhead.

Soon their lips parted, but they continued holding each other, neither of them wanting to let go.

Roxas leaned his forehead against Axel's chest, feeling the other's heartbeat trough the tight T-shirt.

"Hey, it's gettin' pretty late." Axel said, stroking Roxas's hair.

"Yeah, you're right." Roxas said, slowly starting to pull away.

They slowly let go of each other, both looking down at the ground.

"Well...see you later!" Roxas said, not looking up before running away in the direction of his house.

"Yeah..." Axel said, wind blowing through his hair and making the red spikes move. "See ya, Roxas."


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning when Axel got to the square, Roxas sat there waiting, with a smile on his face. Axel smiled a little as Roxas got up and started running towards him. The blond stopped as he reached Axel.

"Umm..." said Roxas, not knowing what to do next. "Hi, I guess."

Axel smiled and leaned in to the blond, gently pressing his lips against the other's.

Roxas closed his eyes, and when they parted a slight blush spread across his cheeks.

"Hi." Axel said with a smirk before kissing Roxas again.

Roxas wrapped his arms around Axel, who pulled him closer while deepening the kiss.

Eventually, they let go of each other.

"Well, better get goin', don't ya think?" Axel said, looking down at Roxas, who nodded in response. "Okay then, we're off." He put an arm around Roxas' shoulders and they started walking towards the school builing.

Roxas felt the glares of the other students as they walked through the school gates, Axel with his arm around his shoulders and Roxas' arm wrapped around Axel's thin waist.

He glanced at Axel, who didn't even seem to notice the cold eyes that watched them walk across the schoolyard.

"Our classes are in opposite directions." Axel said as they reached the stairs. "See ya!" He placed a soft kiss on Roxas's lips and walked away, leaving Roxas standing alone in front of the stairs.

Almost instantly he was surrounded by pretty much every person in the schoolyard, looking at him with mixed expressions, mostly jealousy and anger. They started yelling at him, asking him questions and threatening him all at the same time, until Sora and Riku came running over and pulled him to safety.

"What was that all about?" asked Riku once they had shaken off the other students.

"It seemed as if they were upset about something." Sora said.

"But what could you've done to make them that angry?" Riku asked.

Roxas looked down, blushing. "I'm...kinda...going out...with Axel..."

"SAY WHAT?" Riku and Sora yelled.

"No wonder they're mad, Axel's one of the most popular guys in school, everyone wants to go out with him." Riku said. "But he's a hard one, he's turned down everyone that's asked him without even considering it once."

"So now that you and him are together, everyone he turned down got mad at you." Sora said, clearly stating the obvious.

"Yeah, I've noticed that much." said Roxas, not looking up.

"So if you wanna stay out of trouble, I'd say you break up with him." Riku said.

"I'm not sure..." Roxas said quietly. "Don't you think they'll just cool it?"

"Yeah, in like ten years or so." said Riku, a little sarcasm in his voice. "Listen, just forget about him, it's easier that way."

"Hi, Rox!" Axel said as they met at the school gates. "How's your day?"

_Should I tell him?_ Roxas thought. _No, it's probably better if he doesn't know._ "As usual." he said, a smile on his face. "And yours?"

"Fairly good."Axel smirked and pulled Roxas close to him. "But it just got much better." He pressed his lips against Roxas', who wrapped his arms around Axel's neck, forgetting all that's happened during the day as Axel's tongue slipped inside his mouth.

After a while their lips parted, and without letting go of each other completely they started walking towards the square.

As they reached their destination, the square was filled with people, due to the beautiful weather. A woman stood in the middle of the square in front of the fountain, selling ice cream.

"You want some ice cream, Rox?" Axel asked.

Roxas felt a slight flutter in the bottom of his stomack as he heard the nickname, it was the first time he'd been given one. "Yeah, ice cream sounds great!" he said, smiling.

"Wait here." said Axel and walked off to the woman selling ice cream, soon returning with two popsicles wrapped in a white paper. He gave one to Roxas who opened it, revealing a blue popsicle.

They walked over to the fountain and sat down on the edge, starting to eat of the ice cream.

"Wow, it's really good!" Roxas said, licking on his popsicle. "What flavour is it?"

"It's called sea-salt. Got it memorized?" said Axel, smiling. "Wasn't sure if you'd like it or not, but the seller claimed it was good."

"Sea-salt. I'll remember that until next time." Roxas said, continuing to eat off his ice cream.

Axel sat quietly, looking at the smiling Roxas sitting beside him, watching his blonde hair glowing in the afternoon sun with an almost golden shine to it.

"Axel? What's wrong?" Roxas asked, waking the redhead from his daydreaming.

"Oh, nothing." Axel said and smiled.

Roxas finished his ice cream and looked at Axel's. "Your ice cream is melting." he pointed out and Axel looked down at the half melted blue popsicle, a blue puddle of melted ice cream forming at his feet.

He felt something warm against his hand and turned his head a little to see Roxas licking of the half melted ice cream.

"What're you doin'?" Axel asked.

"Saving your ice cream." Roxas responded, making Axel smile.

"You can have it if you want." he said, holding the popsicle out to Roxas, who happily accepted it.

Axel smirked and kissed Roxas on the cheek just as the blond took a bite of the ice cream, making him bury his teeth in the still freezing cold ice cream. His sapphire eyes widened and he froze still.

Axel laughed softly while leaning in to Roxas and licking some ice cream off his chin, causing the blonde to blush. Chuckling, Axel ruffled Roxas's hair, messing up the natural spikes.

"Stop it." Roxas said, no real sharpness in his voice.

Axel lowered his hand and placed his arm around Roxas's shoulders instead, watching him finish the ice cream.

"I better head back home." Roxas said, getting up from his seat.

Axel looked at him with a mixed expression on his face, then slowly stood up.

"Bye." Roxas said, nervously looking around him before placing a fast kiss on Axel's lips, then turned around and ran off.

Axel sighed and looked towards his own house, not wanting to go there. Last night his parents had invited some people, which as usual resulted in the apartment smelling twice as bad as it did otherwise. He slowly started walking home while dragging his feet.

As he opened the apartment door the familiar smell of alchohol, smoke and vomit filled his nose, and he covered his mouth and nose with his hand while stepping over a vomit directly in front of the door. He pulled up his room key and unlocked his door, entered the room and quickly locking it again.

He sat down on his bed, his back against the wall. _I wonder what Rox's doin'..._

"Axel!" Roxas called, running towards the skinny redhead. It was sunday, five days after him and Axel started going out, and they'd agreed to meet at the town square.

"Hi there." Axel chuckled as Roxas hugged him. He pulled Roxas even closer and kissed him while stroking his back.

Roxas closed his eyes and tilted his head back a little when Axel deepened the kiss.

"Well, that's gotta be the best greeting this far." Axel smirked when their lips parted.

Roxas smiled and shyly pressed his lips against Axel's again, before leaning his forehead against the redhead's shoulder.

"So, what do you wanna do, Rox?" asked Axel while stroking the blond's hair.

"How 'bout showing you my house?" Roxas suggested looking up at Axel, who met his sapphire gaze with his emerald.

"You sure that's okay?" he asked.

Roxas looked at him with a confused look. "What do you mean? Of course it is." He smiled and grabbed Axel's hand. "C'mon!"

"Here it is!" Roxas smiled and led Axel by the hand towards an apartment building. He opened the front door and they walked up the stairs two floors. Roxas unlocked a door and dragged Axel inside.

They removed their shoes and Roxas dragged Axel through the hallway and inside a room. The room had light grayish-blue wallpapers covered with some posters and a soft white rug lay on the floor. In one corner was a bed, in another a big wardrobe, and in front of a big window there was a desk and a chair. On the table stood a blue lamp shaped as a star.

"Well, this is my room." Roxas said. "What do you think?" He looked at Axel, a happy and at the same time almost nervous expression on his face.

Axel smiled. "It's nice." He slowly walked towards the bed and sat down on the blue sheets with his back against the wall. "C'mere." he called, patting on the bed next to him.

Roxas smiled and sat down beside him, resting his head on the other's chest.

Axel put an arm around Roxas' shoulders and pulled him closer, leaning his chin against the blonde spikes.

"Roxas, are you in there?"

As they heard the voice they straightened up and when the door opened, they sat in each end of the bed.

The blonde young woman who had come in smiled. "Oh, Roxy, you brought a friend home! How...nice."

Both Axel and Roxas noticed the sudden hesitation in her voice as she saw Axel, the black tight fitting low waist leather pants, the tight low-necked red T-shirt, the piercing in his left eyebrow and those in his ears, five in each ear, the purple up-side-down teardrop tattoos under his eyes and his red, spiky hair.

"Mum, this is Axel." said Roxas.

"Yo." Axel said lifting his right hand in his usual greeting gesture.

"Yes, that's...very nice." Roxas' mum said, not sounding as if she really felt that way.

There was an awkward silence, Roxas and Axel sitting on the bed and Roxas' mum standing in the doorway.

At last the blonde woman left the room, with a nervous look over her shoulder and leaving the door open.

"Well, she didn't seem to like me that much." Axel stated, almost sounding a little sad.

"I'm sure she was just a little surprised, that's all." Roxas said.

"Yeah, right." Axel said. "Just face it, she hates me."

Roxas moved closer to Axel and hugged him tightly. "Don't worry about that, I know you're not a bad person."

Axel stroke Roxas' hair and twisted one of the longer spikes around his finger.

They let go of each other when they heard footsteps outside the door and when Roxas' mum looked inside, looking as if she feared something had happened, they sat in the exakt position as when she left them a while ago.

"Would you want something to drink?" she asked.

Roxas looked at Axel.

"I guess." the redhead said, shrugging.

"It's all in the kitchen, you can come in there." Roxas' mum said and left again, the same nervous look over her shoulder.

Axel and Roxas slowly got up and walked through the hallway towards the kitchen.

They sat down at the table where two glasses stood, but they didn't even touch the glasses.

Roxas' mum stood by the kitchen sink washing some dishes, watching them every now and then as they simply sat there, looking down at the table.

After maybe ten minutes Roxas rose from his chair, hitting the table. "This is ridiculous. C'mon, Axel, let's go."

Axel stood up and followed as Roxas put on his shoes and exited the apartment.

"I can't believe her!" Roxas said, steaming with anger and frustration. "She's never acted like that before, what the heck's gotten into her?" He walked back and forth in front of the fountain at the town square, Axel sitting on the fountain edge.

"Hey Rox, calm down will ya'." Axel said, but with no effect.

"What right does she have to just judge you like that?"

"Rox, chill." Axel tried again, but the steaming blonde didn't even seem to hear him.

"NONE! She has absolutely NO right to treat MY Axel that way!"

"My Axel?" Axel repeated, and Roxas stopped, his cheeks turning a light red tone.

"That's not what I said." he mumbled, looking down at his shoes. "Or...I mean..."

Axel got up and put an arm around Roxas while lifting his chin with his other hand. He placed a soft kiss on the blonde's lips and smiled as the already pink cheeks turned a bright red.

"I'm yours if you want me to, Rox. Got it memorized?" he said kissing him again, smiling as Roxas blushed an even brighter red. "Soon your face'll be redder than my hair." he laughed, ruffling Roxas' hair. "Even though that'd be pretty hard to accomplish." He shook his head so the red spikes stood out in every direction possible.

"Don't do that, or you'll put out someone's eye." Roxas said laughing, twisting a red lock of hair by one of Axel's pierced ears.

"Like you're one to talk." Axel said, pretending to sting his finger on one of Roxas' blonde spikes.

They both laughed and sat down at the fountain edge again, their arms around each other.

"I like your hair." said Roxas suddenly, and Axel looked at him with a surprised look. "Promise you won't cut it."

Axel smiled. "If you don't want me to, then I won't." Then he grabbed Roxas and before the blond could react he was sitting in the redhead's lap, Axel's thin but strong arms around him.

Roxas leaned his head against Axel's shoulder and closed his eyes, the redhead's scent filling his nose with every deep breath.

Axel looked down and smiled when he noticed the blonde had fallen asleep. He stroke his blonde hair gently and placed a soft kiss on his forehead.

"Axel..." Roxas whispered in his sleep, cuddling up against the redhead's chest. "My Axel..."


	3. Chapter 3

It was Monday, but Axel didn't feel like going to school. He turned in his bed and stared up at the ceiling, sighing. Then his thoughts wandered off and he found himself wondering how Roxas was.

He slowly got up and picked up a pair of pants off the floor, not really caring which pair it was, and grabbed a T-shirt which he was quite sure was clean. He put his shoes on and made his way through the untidy room, the floor full of clothes and other stuff.

This morning it didn't smell that bad in the hallway, since both his mum and dad had been fairly sober the day before and decided to at least wipe up the vomits on the floor. Axel took a pack of crackers he found and sat down on one of the unmatched chairs at the now almost clean kitchen table.

For once he didn't have to hold his breath while walking through the hallway, but he was sure that it wouldn't last very long.

"Axel!" Roxas called as he saw the redhead round a corner, and Axel smiled as the blonde came running towards him as he always did. Roxas hugged the redhead tightly, tilted his head back and closed his sapphire eyes.

Axel got the message and pressed his lips against the blonde's.

"Roxas!" they heard a voice call out.

"Oh, for cryin' out loud!" Roxas said angrily and they broke apart, standing two feet away from each other when a familiar blonde woman rounded a corner.

"Roxas, you forgot your backpack." Roxas' mum said as she reached them. She then looked at Axel with that same look she'd had the day before, a mix of nervousity and despise. "And I see you've found your friend." she said, not even trying to hide the dislike in her voice.

"He lives nearby." Roxas said, glaring at his mother while snatching the backpack from her. "Let's go, Axel, or we'll be late." He turned his back on his mother and started walking towards school, Axel walking right beside him.

"I can't believe she did it again!" Roxas said when his mother couldn't hear them anymore.

"Rox, just leave it." Axel said, placing his arm around Roxas' shoulders. "It's not the first time y'know, I'm kinda used to it."

"That's what makes me so mad." said Roxas. "No one has the right to judge you without even trying to get to know you."

Axel placed a soft kiss on the blonde's cheek. "Don't worry 'bout it." he said softly. "It doesn't matter, as long as I have you. Got it memorized?"

Roxas smiled at Axel's well known catchphrase and wrapped his arm around the redheads middle.

As they reached the schoolyard they did as before. Axel kissed Roxas before leaving to go to his first class, since their first classes unfortunately were in each end of the school building, while Roxas stood there looking at the older teen walking away.

And as soon as Axel rounded a corner, the whole schoolyard came running towards Roxas, surrounding him and yelling insults and threats, until Sora and Riku came over and saved him.

"Why don't you just give up on him already?" Riku asked, breathing heavily after the long run.

"I can't just give up on 'im." Roxas puffed.

"Then will you just keep on doing this every morning through high scool?" asked Riku, almost beginning to sound angry. "Me and Sora won't be able to save you for ever y'know."

"Yeah, I know." Roxas said, looking down at his shoes.

"Then what're you gonna do 'bout it?"

"I don't know." Roxas sighed. "I don't know."

After school Roxas was on his way to meet up with Axel at the gate, when suddenly someone grapped his arm and pulled him behind a storage house. Roxas looked up at the longer person in surprise. He looked at the boy's face, surrounded by pink hair, and wondered what he wanted.

"Stay away from him." hissed the person. "Stay away from him, he's mine!"

"What? Who are you?" Roxas asked trying to free his arm from the only hardening grip.

"Stay away from him, or you'll regret it."

"Who're you talking about?" Roxas asked, getting nervous as he feared he already knew the answer.

"Stay away from Axel, or something bad might happen to him."

Roxas' eyes widened. "You wouldn't...hurt him...would you?" he asked, slowly panicking inside. This guy was seriously creeping him out.

The pink haired guy smiled, a smile so cold it chilled Roxas to the bones. "Oh, I really think I would."

Roxas tried to get away from the pinkette, frightened by the coldness in his voice and the look in his eyes.

The guy leaned in to him and stopped when his face was only a few inches away from Roxas'. "Stay away from him, or you'll both regret it." the guy said and pushed Roxas away so violently that the blonde fell over. The pinkette slowly turned around, leaving Roxas sitting on the ground.

Roxas stared at the spot where the pinkette had disappeared behind a corner, unable to move. After a while he stood up and walked towards the gates with unsteady steps.

"Hey Rox, what took ya so long?" Axel called smiling as he saw the blonde, but his smile was quickly replaced with concern as he saw the look on Roxas' face. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" He reached out a hand to stroke the blonde's bruised cheek, but Roxas pushed away his hand.

"I forgot something." he said to answer the redhead's first question.

"Your knee's bleeding." Axel said, concern in his voice. "Rox, what happened?"

Roxas looked down, not realizing until now that there was a hole in his pants and that the blue fabric around the hole was red with blood.

"It's nothing." he said, not looking up.

"Roxas, what happened?" Axel asked again, sounding more anxious this time.

"I told you it's nothing!" Roxas said angrily, looking up at the redhead. "I fell, and that's it. Nothing to worry about."

Axel winced at the blonde's sudden anger. "K, I get it. Gee, ya don't have to yell at me." He put an arm around Roxas's shoulders but the blonde shrugged it off. Axel lowered his arm, a hurt look on his face.

Roxas felt bad for causing the redhead to look so wretched, but he quietly told himself it was only for his own good.

_I wonder what happened to Rox yesterday..._ Axel thought as he woke up the next morning. He lay on his back in the bed with his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. _He sure was acting weird..._ Axel sighed and got up from his bed, got dressed, grabbed something to eat and left the apartment, without noticing what he was doing.

He awoke from his thoughts when he walked face-first into the front door, causing a big bang. He rubbed his forehead and glared at the door before opening it and stepping outside.

He walked quickly, almost ran, towards the town square, searching for a glimpse of blonde hair. He reached the square, but Roxas was nowhere to be found. Disappointed and sad Axel walked towards school, heavy steps and head bowed.

As he reached school he looked around for Roxas' blonde hair, but couldn't spot him anywhere. He walked towards class, ignoring the math teacher's glare as he passed him and sat down on his usual seat beside Saïx.

Saïx was a boy with long, blue hair and gold eyes, which all the other kids had found amusing since he was little. Another special trait was his rather pointy ears and the large, X-shaped scar on his face, which had caused the others to come up with stories about how he got it.

But Axel knew exactly how and why the scar excisted, he had been there when it happened. Him and Saïx were friends, they'd been since they were kids. Saïx and his parents had lived in the apartment next to Axel's, and they'd always stuck together no matter what.

But then, things started to change. Saïx' parents got better jobs and they decided to move. By that time Axel and Saïx were twelve. But Saïx hated the new place, and one day he'd called Axel on the phone. "Bye, Axel." was all he said before hanging up, and Axel, fearing the worst, hurried over to his friend's place.

He found the bluenette kneeling on the ground in the backyard, a piece of glass in his hand and two deep cuts on the insides of his wrists, as well as an X-shaped cut on his face. Axel immediately called the hospital, and an amulance came to pick the bleeding bluenette up.

He'd lost much blood, but he survived, and the cuts on his wrists healed, now you could only see the scars if you knew exactly where to look. But the cut on his face wouldn't heal completely, so it left a scar.

"What're ya starin' at?" Saïx growled and Axel blinked, realizing he'd been staring at the bluenette, who had obviously had a bad morning.

"Nothin'." Axel said. "So, how're things goin' between you and Xemnas?"

Saïx quickly lowered his golden gaze and Axel smirked. By simply mentioning the name of the bluenette's boyfriend he'd saved himself from getting ripped to shreds.

Xemnas by the way was a third year student, had long, spiky silver hair and intense amber eyes. Him and Saïx had been going out for about two years now.

"None of your business." Saïx murmured, staring down at the bench, Axel knew he was blushing.

"Oh, is that so?" said Axel leaning back comfortably in his chair, tipping it backwards. "So you two still haven't done it then."

Saïx stared hard at the bench, his pointy ear tips turning a light pink.

"Oh man, ya gotta be kiddin' me." Axel straightened up, causing a loud bang as his chair hit the floor.

"Axel, keep your voice down." the annoyed teacher said and glared at the redhead before turning back to face the blackboard, scribbling down an equation.

"You've been dating for two years, and ya still haven't done it?" Axel continued, actually lowering his voice.

"That's none of your goddamn business, so just shut the fuck up!" Saïx snarled.

Axel ignored his friend's comment and continued teasing him. "I mean, you would think that with a guy like you and a guy like him together it would..." He didn't get the chance to finish his sentence, since Saïx threw him off the chair, making the redhead land on his back on the floor, with Saïx on top of him, the bluenette's hands squeezing tightly around Axel's neck in an attempt to strangle him.

"Not again." their teacher complained, sighing heavily. He then picked up a book and threw it over his shoulder without aiming, knowing from experience that it would hit its target.

Saïx growled as the book hit the back of his head and he turned his head around at the teacher who without turning away from the blackboard pointed at the door.

Saïx slowly released his grip around Axel's neck and got up walking towards the door.

The teacher made a note in a notebook. "Saïx; attempted strangling." he read out loud and the rest of the class giggled. "And Axel; provocation to strangling."

More giggles were heard as Axel got up following Saïx outside.

"Well, I hope you're happy now." Saïx muttered glaring at the redhead who smirked back at him.

"Oh yes, now I have a reason for not attending math!"

After class and a long boring talk with the teacher, it was clear that none of them was going to either apologise or promise it would not happen again. After ten minutes of silently glaring at the teacher, both Axel and Saïx were allowed to leave.

As soon as they exited the room Saïx felt a pair of strong arms around him and he was pulled against a warm chest. "Hey there." he heard a dark voice say into his pointy ear and he moaned as a pair of soft lips gently touched the skin by his collarbone. "How's my Saïxy-babe doin'?"

Saïx turned around and looked into Xemnas' amber eyes with his own golden and smiled into the kiss his boyfriend placed on his lips. He wrapped his arms around Xemnas' waist and Xemnas gently pulled the back of his long, blue hair while sliding his tongue inside the bluenettes mouth.

Axel stood quietly, looking away from the kissing couple. He felt a sting of jealousy as he thought of a certain blonde, a blonde who he hadn't seen since the day before... A thud interrupted his thoughts and he turned his head just enough to see Xemnas pushing Saïx up against the wall, hence the thud, while kissing him passionately.

Axel sighed and started walking towards the next class, leaving his friend and his boyfriend behind. He looked around for a glimpse of Roxas' blonde hair, but couldn't spot it anywhere. _I'll get him later,_ he thought. _After school._

Roxas walked faster and looked around, hoping not to run into the redhead on his way home after school. He hurried past the school gates and sighed in relief as he hadn't been stopped. "Yo." Roxas jumped at the familiar voice and as he turned around he saw Axel standing beside the gate, leaning against the wall.

"A-axel." Roxas stuttered in surprise.

"You've been avoidin' me." Axel said and looked into Roxas' sapphire eyes with his emerald. "And I wanna know why."

Roxas looked down at the ground, not knowing what to say or do. He heard Axel sigh and looked up at the redhead who shook his head while looking down.

"If it's my fault, if it's something I said or did, just say it." he said. "I can handle it." He tried not to show how sad he really was, but didn't quite manage to mask his feelings.

Roxas felt guilty, looking at the depressed redhead. He slowly moved closer to him, wrapped his arms around Axel's middle and rested his head on the redheads chest.

"It's not your fault, Axel." he whispered, feeling the warmth of Axel's hands as the redhead carefully placed them on the blonde's back. Then Roxas reached up and placed a quick kiss on the taller teen's lips.

Axel smiled, a gentle smile that nearly melted Roxas' heart.

_How could I even think of staying away from him?_ Roxas thought and snuggled up against Axel's chest, closing his eyes while breathing in the familiar scent he'd begun to miss.

Axel placed his cheek on top of the blonde spikes and a big, smug smirk replaced the sad look on his face. _Axel, my friend, you are a true genious, and one hell of an actor._


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning when Roxas got to the square Axel was already there, sitting on the fountain edge. He was wearing a tight black sweater with high neck and tight black jeans. Roxas smiled and ran towards the redhead who waved casually. When he reached the fountain Roxas sat down beside him and placed a quick kiss on Axel's lips.

Axel smiled and pulled the blonde closer in a warm embrace while placing a kiss on his forehead. "G'mornin'." he murmured against the soft skin.

Roxas shivered as he heard the gentle voice and lifted his head to look into the emerald eyes. But Axel didn't look back, he was looking straight through him with a blank stare.

"Axel? What's wrong?" Roxas asked and Axel blinked two times before meeting the blonde's sapphire gaze.

"What? Oh, nothin'." he said, smiling again, but Roxas could see the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"You sure?" he asked.

"Yeah, really, it's nothing." Axel smiled and got up. "We're running late. Let's go."

Roxas stood beside him and the redhead placed his arm around his shoulders and they walked towards school, just as they always did, but Roxas knew something was wrong.

He didn't say anything though, and as Axel walked off to class Roxas stood silent and watched the redhead round a corner. _I wonder what's up with him._ Roxas thought and didn't even notice the flock of students crowding around him. _I'll have to ask him later._

"You are...a real pain...as a friend." Riku panted when they finally got away from the crowd.

"I wonder what was wrong." Roxas said to himself.

"Why don't you just give up on 'im?" asked Riku.

"He sure was acting strange." Roxas continued, not aware of Riku talking to him.

"Roxas!" Riku said angrily, tapping on Roxas' head with his fist.

"Ow, what'd you do that for?" Roxas said and rubbed the spot where Riku's fist made contact with his head.

"Good, you are awake." Riku grinned. "I thought ya' were asleep."

"What?" Roxas asked, confused.

Riku sighed. "Just forget it." He turned his head and watched as Sora came running towards them.

"They're gone." the brunette reported.

"Good." Riku sighed with relief and leaned against the wall.

"They all went to class as the bell rang." Sora continued.

"What?" Riku yelled. "You mean class's already started? God, teach'll kill us!"

They all started running towards their classroom, quietly slipping inside and sighing with relief as the teacher wasn't there yet.

They all took their seats, Riku in front of Roxas and Sora beside Riku.

"Man, that was a close one." Riku said, panting a bit after the long run. He turned in his chair to look at Roxas. "What were you thinking about earlier?" he asked.

Roxas looked down, not knowing if he should tell them about Axel's odd behavior.

"It's about Axel." Sora said, and Roxas looked up at him in surprise.

"How'd you know?"

"'Cause the only reason I know would make you act like that is if something happened to Axel." Sora smiled.

"Well, I'm not sure if it's that big a deal, but..." Roxas started, but stopped.

"But...?" Sora and Riku asked.

"I mean, he's always quite carefree, but today..." Roxas stopped again.

"For the love of God, you gonna tell us or not?" Riku asked, growing impatient.

"Riku, you don't need to get so mad." Sora said, trying to calm the silverette down.

Riku took a deep breath and turned his aquamarine eyes to look at Roxas, who slowly started talking.

"Well, he was acting really strange this morning. He was staring blankly in front of him, as if he was thinking of something else, something that seemed to be bothering him."

"That's exactly what you've been doin' all morning." Riku sighed.

"I have?" Roxas asked.

"Yeah, ya' didn't notice it yourself?"

"Actually, no."

Riku slammed his head in Roxas' desk with a deep sigh.

Sora smiled patting the back of the silverettes head. "I think you should talk to him 'bout it." he said to Roxas.

"I'm not sure he'll give me an honest answer." Roxas sighed, leaning back in his chair.

"Then you'll just have to force it out of him." Sora smirked, and Roxas looked at him, surprised at his sudden change of attitude. "Right, Riku?" Sora smiled at his silver haired friend who, still resting his head on Roxas' desk, waved a hand as confirmation.

Roxas looked from Riku to Sora, watched Sora's hand gently stroking Riku's hair, and Riku placing his hand on Sora's back. Then Riku tilted his head a little and Roxas saw a slight blush on Sora's cheeks as their eyes met. _Oh._ Roxas thought, smiling. _I see..._

_I'll do it._ Roxas thought as he walked towards the school gate. _I'll talk to Axel, and I wont give up 'til he answers._ He quickened his pace as he spotted the intense red hair in front of the gates. _I'll do it._

"Yo, Rox, what took ya' so long?" Axel said and flashed off a smile and for a couple of seconds Roxas completely forgot what he was going to ask the redhead.

He shook his head to clear his mind and opened his mouth, only to find Axel's lips pressing against his and his tongue sliding inside his mouth.

Caught off guard a loud moan escaped his parted lips, causing him to blush as some other students turned to look at them.

Axel pulled away and smirked down at him, ignoring the jealous glares from the other students as he placed a warm kiss on Roxas' forehead.

Roxas took a deep breath and met Axel's emerald gaze. "I need to talk to you." he said.

"You are talkin' to me." Axel smirked and wrapped his arms around Roxas pulling him closer, pressing his lips against the blonde's.

Roxas pulled away, a serious look on his face. "I need to talk to you alone." he said, grabbing the redhead's hand and dragging him along.

"Hey, what's up with you all of a sudden?" Axel asked, but followed as Roxas dragged him past the square and towards his house.

Axel let himself be led up the stairs to Roxas' apartment, but hesitated as Roxas opened the apartment door, remembering the warm welcome the blonde's mum had given him last time.

"It's okay, no one's home." Roxas said, grabbing his hand again as he stepped inside.

After removing their shoes, they both walked inside Roxas' room and curled up in his bed, Axel with his back against the wall and Roxas sitting between Axel's legs, leaning against the redhead's chest.

"So, what was it you wanted to talk 'bout?" Axel asked, putting his arms around the bloinde's waist.

Roxas took a deep breath and turned his head so he could meet Axel's gaze. "I wanna know what's wrong." he said.

"Whaddaya mean?" Axel smiled and kissed Roxas on the neck, breaking the eyecontact.

"You've been acting weird since this morning." Roxas said and stood up, facing the surprised redhead. "And it's seriously creeping me out, so fucking tell me what's wrong!"

Axel stared at him in surprise, and then lowered his emerald eyes.

"If you won't tell me, then I just might follow you home one day and find out for myself." Roxas said and winced as Axel suddenly was standing in front of him, his emerald eyes glowing dangerously.

"Never come to my place! Got it memorized?" he growled, and Roxas stared at him, unable to move.

Axel then lowered his eyes again and hid his face in his hands while slumping down onto the bed. "Sorry." he whispered in a broken voice. "I'm sorry."

Roxas looked at the redhead, confused by his sudden outburst. Then his face softened and he slowly walked up to the bed, stopping in front of Axel.

He sat down in Axel's lap and wrapped his arms around him in a comforting hug.

Axel didn't move, and continued hiding his face in his hands.

Roxas grabbed the redhead's wrists, gently but firmly, and pulled away the older teen's hands from his face. He gently took Axel's face in his hands and wiped away a tear from the other's cheek with his thumb.

"Don't cry." he said and pressed his lips against Axel's gingerly.

"I'm not crying." Axel muttered, wrapping his arms around the blonde.

"'Course not." Roxas smiled, patting the red spikes.

Axel took a deep breath. "You really wanna know?" he asked.

Roxas instantly knew what he meant. He looked straight into the redhead's cat like eyes. "Yes. I wanna know."

"Okay then." Axel said. "I'll tell you." He took another deep breath and slowly moved Roxas from his lap. He got up and stood in front of the bed, back facing the blonde who looked at him with wide blue eyes as the redhead slowly pulled the black sweater over his head.

Roxas gasped at what he saw. Axel's whole back was filled with bruises, cuts and scratches, all the way up on the neck.

Axel turned around, exposing his front, also covered in bruises and cuts. He glansed at Roxas and after seeing the sapphire eyes wide in shock, he looked down at the floor. _I knew it._ he thought, silently cursing himself. _I scared him._

He jumped as he suddenly felt a pair of hands on his bruised shoulders and, looking up from the floor, he met the gaze of Roxas' sapphire eyes. He felt his own eyes widen as a pair of lips pressed against his, a tongue sliding inside his mouth. He hesitantly put his arms around the smaller blonde and responded to the kiss, his confused thoughts racing as fast as his heart.

After a while, Roxas broke the kiss, his arms still wrapped around the skinny redhead. "Who did this to you?" he asked, almost whispering, stroking Axel's back gently.

Axel took a deep breath and looked Roxas straight in the eyes. "My parents."

"Your parents?" Roxas asked, his eyes growing wide.

"Yeah." Axel said, pulling away and picking up his sweater. "'S not like it's the first time or anything." he continued while putting the sweater on again, covering his bruised body.

"You mean it's happened before?" Roxas stared at him.

"Yeah, once or twice every three weeks or so, depending on how drunk my parents are. They were pretty drunk yesterday, and I got home at the wrong time." Axel shrugged.

"But that's... You can't just let them do that!" Roxas said, clenching his fists in anger. "_I_ won't let them do that!"

Axel smiled and got close to the blonde again, wrapping his arms around him. "It's okay, I can handle it." he said, his usual smirk on his lips. "Got it memorized?" He then pressed his lips against the other's and Roxas immediately parted his lips, alloving the redhead's tongue to slip inside his mouth. Closing his eyes he pressed his body against Axel's responding to the kiss.

Getting turned on by the eager blonde, Axel slowly backed Roxas towards the bed and gently pushed him down sitting on the light blue sheets, not breaking the kiss. Roxas didn't resist as the redhead climbed on top of him, straddling his legs, nor as he pushed him down lying on the bed.

Now Axel almost lay on top of Roxas, and the blonde wrapped his arms even tighter around him, causing the redhead to crash down on top of him.

After a while Axel broke the kiss, a huge grin on his face. "Well, I don't know 'bout you, but I'm kinda enjoying this."

"Yeah, it is quite the amusing sight."

They both turned their heads towards the door at the sound of the new voice, and Roxas' face turned bright red as he saw the man with blonde spiky hair leaning casually against the door frame.

"W-what're you doin' here?" Roxas asked, pushing Axel off of him and sitting up.

"Well, unless you missed it, I live here." the man answered smirking.

"But I thought you worked 'til late." Roxas said, looking down at the floor in front of the man.

"Yeah, I was, but the boss let me go earlier." the new blonde smirked. "Oh yeah, almost forgot." he said looking at Axel. "I'm Cloud Strife, Rox' dad. And you kid, are a lucky bastard." He winked at Axel, who already took a liking to him.

"Yeah, I know." he said, placing a kiss on Roxas' cheek. Both him and Cloud laughed as Roxas' face turned even redder.

"So Rox, you gonna introduce 'im to me?" Cloud smiled.

"The name's Axel." Axel responded, knowing Roxas was too embarressed to speak.

"Axel, huh?" Cloud said. "Wanna stay and have dinner with us?"

"I'd better not, but thanks anyway." Axel said.

"No, stay." Roxas said, grabbing the redhead's hand.

Axel looked at him in surprise, but his face was soon covered with a teasing grin. "Oh right, we have some unfinished business." he said and waggled his eyebrows.

"That's not what I meant." Roxas said and punched Axel's upper arm, not very hard though.

"Oh really?" Axel asked and pulled Roxas into his lap. "Cause I wouldn't mind if ya' did." He kissed Roxas on the neck and a low moan escaped the blonde.

"I'll go prepare the food, try not to overdo it." Cloud smirked from his place at the door.

"Daad..." Roxas whined, and Axel saw his chance and bit the off guard blonde's neck, making him moan loudly. Roxas blushed again and Cloud simply smiled and exited the room, closing the door behind him.

"Well that's kind of 'im." Axel said, turning to Roxas. "Now, where were we again?"

Axel stared down at his plate, trying to ignore the burning grey eyes that seemed to pierce his head. He glanced across the table without lifting his head, quickly turning his gaze towards the plate again after seeing the stern look on Roxas' mum's face. He felt something pressing against his leg and glanced to the side to meet Roxas' sapphire eyes.

"You done?" Roxas asked.

Axel nodded and got up, eager to leave the kitchen and the blonde woman.

They both hurried into Roxas' room, where they sat down on the bed, Roxas curling up in Axel's lap.

"You know, I really hate her sometimes." Roxas muttered, leaning his head against the redhead's shoulder.

Axel didn't respond, he just smiled and kissed the blonde's forehead.

They heard steps outside the door and quickly pushed away from each other, sitting in each end of the bed as Cloud peeked inside the room.

"Calm down, it's just me." he said laughing. "Trisha told me to keep an eye on you, whatever that's supposed to mean." He looked at them and grinned. "Did I interrupt something? I could leave again if you want me to."

"Nah, 's time for me to head back home anyway." Axel said and rose from the bed and exited the room.

Roxas followed and they left the apartment together, almost running down the stairs. They pushed the door open and stepped outside, taking a deep breath of relief.

"Finally alone again." Axel murmured and wrapped his arms around Roxas, pressing the blonde's back against his chest.

Roxas tilted his head back and to the side looking into the redhead's emerald eyes, reaching up and letting their lips meet.

Axel hugged him tighter and then turned the blonde to face him, feeling Roxas' arms wrapping around his neck as the kiss got more intense.

After a while they both pulled away, and Axel smirked down at the slightly panting Roxas, placing a kiss on the blonde's forehead.

"Axel? I just thought of something." Roxas said.

"What?"

"I don't know your phone number."

Axel smiled. "Do you need to?" he asked.

"Well, yeah." Roxas said, blushing a little.

"Man, you're so cute when you do that." Axel smirked and kissed Roxas on the lips. Then he laughed a little and pulled a black and red phone out of his pocket.

_How is he able to keep a phone in those pants?_ Roxas thought, glansing down at the redhead's tight fitting, black jeans.

"Just gimme yours." Axel said and they swapped cellphones, inserting the correct numbers before returning them.

"I think I better go before mum freaks out." Roxas sighed and hugged Axel tightly, brushing his lips against the taller teen's before running back inside the apartment house.

Axel sighed too and after a last glance at the house he turned to walk home, once again his steps felt heavy, and his stomach twisted by the thought of the smelly apartment that awaited him.


	5. Chapter 5

As soon as Roxas stepped inside of the apartment door he felt the glare of his mother. He sighed as he walked through the hallway into the kitchen, where the blonde woman sat at the table. Roxas slumped down on a chair as far away from his mother as possible, knowing very well what was coming.

"I thought I told you to stay away from that boy." she said, her grey eyes penetrating Roxas, who felt like simply running away.

Instead he shrugged. "Guess you did."

"So, how come that same boy was sitting at our table today?" his mother asked, eyes flashing.

"Because I asked him to." Roxas glared defiantly at her across the table.

They sat quietly after that, staring at each other, sapphire meeting stone grey in a wordless fight.

"Hey, enough with the staring contest already." Cloud laughed as he entered the kitchen and leaned against the door frame, completely ignoring the cold glare of his wife. "Rox, you've got homework to do, don't you?"

Roxas nodded and got up from the chair, silently thanking his dad for saving him, and rushed to his bedroom. Stopping inside of the closed door, he clutched his fists in anger and gritted his teeth, before relaxing a bit and picking up his schoolbag from the floor. He sat down on the bed and turned the backpack upside down above the blue sheets, not caring about the books and notebooks that fell out of the bed and onto the floor.

He opened the math book and tried to concentrate, but the numbers and equations didn't make any sence at all. Frowning, he tried again, still unable to figure out what the squiggles in the book meant. With a frustrated groan he threw the fucking thing across the room, making it hit the other wall before falling down to the floor. Roxas then lay down on his back, hands behind his neck, staring up at the ceiling.

A quick knock and the door opening made him glance over at the door, sighing a little as he saw his dad standing there, leaning casually against the door frame.

"Mind if I come in?" the blonde adult asked, stepping inside without waiting for an answear. He closed the door and leaned against the wall beside the door, watching the young blonde who continued staring at the ceiling.

After a moment of quiet staring, Roxas finally broke the silence. "I know what you're gonna say, so just spit it." he said, still not looking away from the ceiling.

"He seems like a nice guy to me." Cloud said, Roxas' sapphire gaze immediately turning to meet his.

"What?"

Cloud chuckeled slightly at his son's surprised expression and walked up to the bed.

"So you're not mad or anything?" Roxas asked looking up at him with big blue eyes.

"To be honest, I didn't think you swung that way." Cloud smiled. "But heck, I don't see why I should get mad." He ruffled Roxas' blonde spikes and turned around, heading for the door.

As he reached the door he turned his head to look at Roxas, a wide grin on his face. "Cause y'know, he was pretty hot." He then chuckled at the blush on Roxas' cheeks and exited the room, leaving a surprised and embaressed Roxas behind.

Later that evening Roxas was still sitting on his bed, trying to sort out his thoughts, with no success. He sighed and jumped as he heard a thud and as he looked down on the floor he noticed his cellphone had fallen down. He picked up the silver cell and looked at it before flipping it open. He went through all of his contacts before stopping at Axel's number, wondering what to do next.

He really wanted to talk to the redhead, to simply hear his voice, and he felt all tingly inside as he thought of the older teen. He wanted, no needed, to see him, but his thumb only hovered over the 'call' button in hesitation. He simply didn't have the courage to press it. A sudden beep made him jump and it took a moment before he realized it was his cellphone.

He looked at the display, noticing he'd just recieved a message from Axel. He read the only words, 'Good night', and the tingly feeling was back, even stronger than before. He quickly typed a reply and placed the phone on his bedside table, drifting off to sleep with a smile on his face.

Axel felt a slight vibration in his hand and looked down at the black and red cell, flipping it open. His heart warmed as he noticed he'd recieved a text from Roxas. He honestly hadn't expected him to answer that quickly. He opened the message and read the few words. 'Night. See u tomorrow.' Smiling he put the cell on his bedside table and fell asleep, barely able to wait til next morning to see the blonde.

"What's with you all of a sudden?" Saïx asked as they exited the classroom after the first class, looking at his redheaded friend who was walking beside him.

"Whatcha mean?" Axel asked, not able to keep himself from grinning.

Saïx shrugged and turned his head to look down the hallway, searching for a certain silverette. He suddenly felt a pair of arms wrap around him and he turned around smiling at Xemnas who hugged him tighter.

"Man, I totally didn't get a shit of that class."

Axel turned around to see Demyx walking out the classroom door, scratching the back of his blonde head while trying to make sure the guitar case on his back didn't slip.

"Yo, Ax. Care to fill me in?" the blonde asked, his usual grin on his face.

"Sorry Dem, y'know I'm not really one to listen to what teachers say." Axel grinned.

"What's with you all of a sudden?" Demyx asked, not aware he'd asked the exact same question as Saïx.

Axel was about to answer but was interrupted by a bang. He and the mohawked blonde turned their heads to see Xemnas pressing Saïx up against a set of lockers, both him and the bluenette completely ignoring the glares other students shot at them, deeply entangled with each other as they were.

"Give it a rest you two." Demyx rolled his eyes at the two teens, who didn't even seem to notice he was there. Demyx then turned his blue gaze to Axel, who stared blankly in front of him with a strange smile on his face. "So, things good with you 'n Roxas?"

Axel blinked at the question and looked at Demyx as if he'd forgotten he was there. He then smiled again. "Yeah, we're doin' fine." he replied.

"Axel."

The redhead turned as he heard the familiar voice calling out, and smiled even wider as he saw Roxas running towards him through the corridor. As soon as Roxas reached them he wrapped his arms around the blonde and pulled him into a kiss.

Roxas smiled and hugged Axel back, responding to the gentle kiss.

Demyx was left alone, to his left was Axel, his best friend since a long time, making out with Roxas, a new kid who he didn't even know, and to his right were Saïx and Xemnas, nearly eating each other up it seemed. Demyx shrugged and moved the strap to his guitar case on his shoulder, catching a glance of steel-blue hair in one end of the corridor. His hands automatically started fixing up his mohawk as the boy with the odd colored hair got closer.

He watched Zexion as he walked past, the long bangs covering his face and as usual a book in his hands. Demyx followed him with his blue gaze until he dissappeared around a corner and he sighed. Once again, he'd stayed quiet. Once again he hadn't said a word to the boy with the unique hair and the stunning eyes. He, Demyx, the school's blabbermouth number one.

"Oh, Demyx~." Axel sang beside him, still holding Roxas tightly pressed against himself. The redhead smiled as Demyx blushed.

Roxas looked up at Axel for an explanation, and the redhead laughed.

"Dem's got the hots for Zexion for years, but he still hasn't said anything." he said before nuzzling Roxas's hair.

Roxas nodded absent-mindedly and closed his eyes.

By the lockers Saïx had taken the command and was pressing his silver-haired boyfriend up against the wall, licking and nipping at the tanned neck, causing small groans to escape the silverette. He felt the glares of passing students, but he didn't care. He pressed himself against Xemnas and smirked as the silverette groaned again. He then moaned himself as Xemnas took over again, pushing off the wall and turning them both around so that the bluenette was now trapped between the wall and his boyfriend's tanned, muscular body.

Demyx looked from Saïx and Xemnas to Axel and Roxas, feeling a bit jealous of the close relationships they shared. He moved his big silver headphones from around his neck to cover his ears and dug in his pocket to find his MP4 player. He pressed the play button and closed his eyes tapping his foot against the floor in time with the music.

Which meant he didn't see a boy with steel-blue hairs and long bangs covering his right eye peek around the corner in one end of the corridor, watching the long blonde air drumming and miming to the songs om his MP4, making him smile ever so slightly before turning around to walk away.

"So, Demyx's interested in that Zexion guy, huh." Roxas said, more stating than asking, looking up at the taller redhead as they walked their way home, hands intertwined.

"Yeah, he's been for like a year or so." Axel confirmed.

"So why hasn't he said anything to 'im? You'd think that he of all people would be able to, right?""

Axel laughed at little. "Yeah, Dem really ain't the shy type, but for some reason he gets really shy whenever he's 'round Zexion." he said and grinned. "He even blushes when you ask 'im 'bout it."

For some reason Roxas found it hard to picture the hyper energetic musicloving Demyx blushing.

Axel grinned even wider. "Yo, Rox, stop worryin' 'bout him and start worryin' more 'bout me." He suddenly wrapped his arms around the blonde and pulled him closer in a kiss.

Roxas responded immediately, placing his hands on Axel's back.

A sudden cough made them break apart and turn around, facing the back of an old woman as she quickly walked away. They looked at her and a sly look appeared on Axel's face.

He turned to Roxas and bit down on his neck, causing the off guard blonde to moan loudly. The redhead chuckled as the woman stiffened and then began increasing her pace and rounded a corner almost running.

"Why'd you do that for?" Roxas muttered and rubbed the spot where Axel's white teeth had made contact with his skin.

Axel laughed and placed a kiss on the blonde's nose. "'Cause I felt like it." He grinned down at Roxas, who had a hard time keeping up his frown.

God it was hard to be mad at Axel.

"Should we keep goin'?" Roxas asked and attempted to free himself from Axel.

"I don't know, I kinda like it where I am." Axel grinned and kissed Roxas' forehead.

"Well, just look at that. Lovebirds on the loose."

Both teens turned their heads towards the voice, and Roxas blushed as his dad walked closer.

"You just can't stay away from each other." Cloud grinned at them, and Roxas felt like sinking through the ground and disappear.

"And you seem to have the ability to always pop up whenever we start gettin' somewhere." Axel countered, grinning as Roxas' cheeks turned even redder.

A moan made all three of them turn their heads, spotting Xemnas and Saïx not far away, deeply entangled in a kiss.

"Seriously." Roxas sighed, watching as Xemnas pressed Saïx up against a wall.

"You know those guys?" Cloud asked.

"Yeah, it's my pal 'n his boyfriend." Axel shrugged. "Just ignore them, they're always like that."

The redhead then turned to the kissing couple. "Yo, Sai!" he shouted, and the bluenette slowly opened his golden eyes and pushed off the wall.

Saïx looked around and spotted the skinny redhead. He walked towards him and Xemnas followed, looking rather displeased. "What do ya want?" the bluenette asked with an irritated voice as he reached his redhaired friend.

"Oh, I'm sorry, were you busy?" Axel grinned.

Saïx glared at him but then his face softened as Xemnas slowly wrapped his arms around the bluenette's waist. He tilted his head a little and Xemnas placed a kiss beneath his jaw bone. The golden eyes closed and his lips curved upwards in a small smile.

"Is everyone in this town gay?" Cloud asked, a rather amused grin on his face.

Saïx opened his eyes and stared at the blonde man who he hadn't noticed until then.

Cloud laughed at the nervous look on the scarred face. "Relax, I don't have a problem with it." He waved his hand casually and laughed again as Saïx looked even more shocked. "I'm Cloud by the way, Rox' dad. Nice meetin' ya'!"

Cloud smiled at the surprised looking bluenette. "Well, I better get goin' or the wife's gonna kill me." He winked at the boys and walked away, swaying a bag full of vegetables in his hand.

The four teens watched as he disappeared behind a building.

"Your dad's pretty cool, y'know. Right, Sai?" Xemnas said before tracing his lips along the bluenette's neck.

"Mmm, yeah." Saïx agreed, though he didn't really seem like he knew what question he'd just answered.

"Man, that guy could agree to anything." Roxas said turned to Axel.

The redhead laughed and pulled Roxas close to him. "And you wouldn't?" he asked, placing small kisses along the blonde's jawline.

"Nnnh, nno." Roxas moaned, nearly forgetting what he'd intended to answer.

Axel laughed and ruffled the blonde's hair. "Yeah sure."

Roxas elbowed the redhead in the side and they laughed. The blonde then looked at his watch and his eyes grew wide. "Is that the time? Mum's gonna kill me!" He quickly pecked Axel on the lips and ran towards his house, leaving the redhead alone.

"His mum's one of _those_, huh." Saïx stated, finally breaking away from his boyfriend.

"Yeah." Axel responded and smirked. "But now I've got an excuse to go visit 'im." He pulled out a silver cell phone from behind his back. "After all, someone's gotta return this to 'im, right?"


	6. Chapter 6

Roxas sat on his bed in the quiet apartment. Both his parents were at work, which meant he had the apartment all to himself. So now he stared down at the books in his knee and tried to figure out how to do his homework. It made no fuckin' sense at all! He sighed and reached down to pull his phone out of his pocket, maybe Riku could help him. But the pocket was empty. He jumped up from the bed and checked all his pockets, but no sign of the silver phone.

He shoved the books down from the bed, checked on the desk, under the desk, under the bed and everywhere else on the floor. When he couldn't find it in his bedroom he looked in the kitchen, he even looked inside the cupboards, but still no sign of it. With a defeated sigh the blonde sat down on a chair, thinking about the possible places where he might had dropped it.

He was startled by a sudden knock on the door, and looked at the time. Still a couple of hours 'til his parents were supposed to come home. He hurried to the door and opened it, looking up at the redhead who stood outside smiling down at him.

"You dropped something." Axel said and held out a silver cell phone.

Roxas reached up to take it, but Axel pulled it away. "C'mon, give it back." Roxas whined and tried to grab the small phone, but the redhead held it above his head, out of reach, while smirking down at the blonde.

"Don't know, I don't really feel like it."

Roxas grabbed the other teen's arm and tried to pull it down, but to no avail.

"It's no fair, you're much taller than me."

Axel chuckled and leaned down to press his lips against the blonde's, who immediately opened his mouth enough for the redhead to slide his tongue inside. The taller boy lowered his arms and wrapped them around Roxas, pulling him close.

Shortly Roxas broke the kiss, a triumphant smile on his face, holding his cell phone in his hand. "Got it." he said and laughed. "You're too easy, y'know."

Axel grunted and grabbed his wrist, trying to kiss him again, but the blonde pulled away, smiling. "C'mon, Rox, just once more!" Axel whined.

"I don't really feel like it." Roxas smiled wickedly and Axel groaned.

"You're just no fun." the redhead sighed and pushed past the shorter boy, entering the apartment. "You're alone?"

Roxas nodded, and watched a wide smirk form on Axel's lips. "Don't get any weird ideas, I'm supposed to be doin' my homework."

Axel laughed and ruffled the blonde spikes. "What do ya take me for?"

Roxas snorted and walked in front of Axel inside his bedroom, slumping down onto the bed. He then placed the books in his knee and opened one of them, though he wasn't sure which it was. He glanced up at the redhead who stood in front of him, back facing the blonde.

_God, he's hot._ Roxas shook his head to clear his mind. This was no time for that kind of thinking, he had homework to do. He started scribbling down some equations in his notebook, simply focusing on making it look like he'd done his homework.

"You're doin' it wrong."

Roxas jumped as Axel whispered in his ear, feeling the redhead's breath against his skin.

Axel chuckled at the shocked look on the blonde's face before grabbing a pencil and writing something in the notebook. "That's how you do it."

Roxas moved closer and studied the answer Axel wrote, which actually made some sense, heck it even looked correct. He looked up at the redhead, his surprised expression changing to eager. "How'd you do that again?"

"Wow, this stuff's actually starting to make sense! Where'd you learn all that?" Roxas looked up at Axel, who grinned.

"Detentions. A lot of 'em."

"Why am I not surprised?" Roxas laughed before writing the last number down. "I'm done!" he exclaimed happily, looking at the clock on his bedside table. "And in a record time. Thanks a lot, Axel!"

He quickly pressed his lips against the taller teen's and turned to put his books away, but he stopped as he felt a pair of arms wrapping around his middle, pulling him back. He let Axel pull him backwards until his back was resting against the redhead's chest. Roxas placed his blonde head on Axel's shoulder and closed his eyes as he felt the redhead placing gentle kisses on his neck. He turned his head and felt Axel's lips on his own, before the older teen continued tracing kisses along the blonde's jaw line.

"Axel." Roxas suddenly said. "Can I come over to your place?"

The other boy immediately froze and pulled away from the blonde. "I thought I already told you no."

"I know, but it just feels important to at least know where you live." Roxas looked up into Axel's emerald eyes, and the redhead nearly melted at the look in those big blue orbs.

"Yeah... here we are."

They were standing outside Axel's house, looking up at the boring grey building, an old curtain flapping in the wind through a broken window.

"It's..." Roxas started, but Axel interrupted.

"It's old, boring and nearly collapsing by itself. Man, it's good to be home." he grinned down at the blonde.

They walked up to the front door and Axel pushed it open and walked up the stairs, Roxas following behind.

The blonde raised an eyebrow when Axel opened the unlocked apartment door.

"The lock's broken." the redhead explained and stepped inside.

Roxas followed him through the door and wrinkled his nose at the smell of alchohol and smoke, but he didn't say anything as Axel lead him through the messy hallway and stopped at a door to unlock it.

"This's my room." The taller teen walked into the room, kicking some clothes and papers out of the way and slumped down onto the bed, leaving Roxas standing in front of the closed door, not knowing what to do.

The blonde looked around the room. There was a bed with black sheets, a desk with a seemingly broken chair in front of it, a closet and a black sofa, and the dark red walls were covered by posters of different rock bands and singers. Roxas saw Axel in the corner of his eye, sitting on the bed, watching him with a mix of epressions on his face. He almost looked nervous.

Roxas made his way from the door and sat down on the black sheets, snuggling up against the redhead. He smiled up at him and Axel leaned down and pressed their lips together.

Before they could get any further though, they heard footsteps outside the door and a boy with hair as red as Axel's, but held back in a low ponytail, stepped inside.

"I see you still haven't fixed the lock, yo." the new redhead said and grinned.

"Reno!" Axel practically flew across the room and high-fived the redhead. "Dude, whatcha doin' 'ere?"

"Y'know, just checkin' in on my lil' bro." Then Reno spotted Roxas who sat quietly on the bed. "'N who's that?"

"That's Roxas." Axel answered.

"Hi." Roxas said and before he knew it he was looking straight into a pair of green eyes. Reno was standing in front of him, and only now Roxas noticed the red tattooes beside the redhead's eyes, and his striking resemblance to Axel.

Reno looked the blonde up and down, and smirked. "He's cute."

Roxas blushed at the comment, and Reno grinned even wider.

"Yeah, but ya' better stay away, he's mine." Axel suddenly sat beside Roxas on the bed (damn those guys were fast) and pecked Roxas on the lips to prove his statement.

"I figured as much." Reno grinned. "So where're mum 'n dad?"

"Dun know, they're probably out somewhere."

"Oh. Well I better get goin' now, yo." Reno grinned and Axel almost looked dissappointed.

"You're leavin' already? You just got 'ere."

"Yeah, I know, but I have ta leave now or I'll never get home."

"So ya mean ya drived all this way 'n you're only gonna stay two minutes? That's called wasting money."

"Well, I actually left really early, but the cops stopped me." Reno said, scratching the back of his head and yawning. "Said I was drivin' too fast."

"Somehow I think those guys were right." Axel smirked. "How many times'd they stop ya?"

"Not sure, but it was either three or four. Okay, maybe five." Reno confessed.

Both the redheads smirked at the surprised expression on Roxas' face.

"Reno thinks he's a race driver." Axel rolled his eyes. "It's a wonder he's still got his license."

"What? I've never killed anyone." Reno's grin grew even wider. "'N did ya know there're a lot of really hot cops?"

Axel sighed. "Don't tell me ya got someone's phone number again."

Reno smirked and took out about five pieces of paper out of his back pocket. "They simply can't resist me." He turned to Roxas. "That, blondie, is the secret to both keepin' your license and makin' valuable contacts. By the way Ax, ya got any money?"

_Wow, this guy changes the subject quick._ Roxas thought.

Axel rolled his eyes. "Whatcha do this time?"

"Well, one of the cops was kinda together with someone, so i had to pay." Reno shrugged.

"Serves ya right." Axel said.

"Well yeah, 'm goin' now anyway, so bye." Reno turned and Axel got up and followed the older redhead out the bedroom door.

Roxas sat on the bed and heard the two talking in the hallway, though he couldn't make out any words, their voices were too low.

When Axel returned there was a frown on his face, and he sat down onto the bed not seeming to notice the blonde was still there.

"What's wrong Axel?" asked Roxas, and the redhead blinked and turned his emerald gaze to him.

Axel looked at the concerned face the blonde was making, and smiled. "Nothing." He then pulled Roxas into a hug and said blonde snuggled up against the taller boy.

"Are they still...?" Reno had started, a look of concern suddenly replacing his cocky grin.

"Yeah, but not as much as before." Axel had answered and shrugged.

"Ya' do know ya' could come live with me instead, right?"

"Yeah, but it's okay, I can handle it."

They had been silent for a little while, until Reno broke the silence.

"Leavin' ya here just makes me feel like a bad brother, y'know." he'd said and grimased.

"Wow, never thought you'd feel bad 'bout anything." Axel had grinned and punched his brother jokingly in the side. Then he'd gotten serious again. "Look, I'm fine, so you just go on with your life already."

"Axel, detention for not paying attention in class."

Axel heard the voice but he couldn't make out any words. Lost in his thoughts, it was like everything around him happened behind a thick wall.

"Yo, Ax."

Axel vinced at the sudden pain in his side and realized Saïx had elbowed him. "What was that for?"

"You got detention." Saïx grinned evilly. "And this time you'll be there alone."

"I don't think so." Axel smirked and pulled out his phone. He chose a contact from the list and press the 'call' button.

Meanwhile, in another classroom, Roxas was struggling not to fall asleep during his history lesson, the last lesson of the day thank GOD, a quite difficult task since the teacher was soo boring. He talked monotonically and never once looked away from the book and the blackboard. Plus, when would you even need to know the names of some old farts that lived ages ago, or what they did? That's just so unnecessary.

His thoughts were interrupted as he heard a strange sound. He looked around trying to figure out where it came from, as well as to figure out where he'd heard it before. He recognized it when a voice started singing.

_I'm bringing sexy back_

_Them other boys don't know how to act_

_I think it's special what's behind your back_

_So turn around and i'll pick up the slack._

And not until then he realized where the sound was coming from; his pocket. Or, to be exact, his cell phone. Roxas blushed as everyone in the room turned to look at him, even the teacher, and hurriedly pulled out the silver phone, which was still ringing, and checked the display. The name 'Axel' was flashing on the small screen and a picture of himself and the redhead kissing covered the background.

_Dirty babe_

_You see these shackles_

_Baby I'm your slave_

_I'll let you..._

Roxas pressed the green button and wheezed into the mic. "You're dead, you hear me!" As a response he got a low chuckle and he could practically hear the redhead grinning.

"See ya at detention."

A beeping sound signaled that Axel had hung up, and Roxas stared angrily at the phone.

"Roxas Strife, detention." the teacher said in his monotonical voice, causing giggles to erupt across the room.

At that moment the bell rang and everyone hurriedly packed their bags and ran out of the classroom.

Sora waved at Roxas and shyly grabbed Riku's hand as they walked away.

Roxas sighed before turning in the opposite direction to search for the detention room.

"Yo." Axel greeted when Roxas opened the door to the detention room, the usal grin on his tattooed face, and Roxas felt the anger slowly being washed away as he saw the handsome redhead. He was sitting on a desk, leaning back on his hands and his feet on another desk, looking incredibly cool and...

But Roxas wasn't going to give in this time. He walked towards the older boy and sat down a couple of seats away. "Did you really think that was necessary?"

"Yep." Axel answered.

Roxas sighed. _Should've seen that one coming._ "When'd you even change my ring tone?"

"You dropped it, remember? So I took the opportunity to give myself an ID ring tone."

"You don't have anything like that when I call you, right?" asked Roxas.

"Why don't you try it?"

Roxas feared his suspicions were correct as the redhead grinned even wider. He took out his silver phone and called Axel.

A guitar started playing and then a voice sang;

_Rape me_

_Rape me, my friend_

_Rape me_

_Rape me again_

"Axel!" Roxas growled and in the blink of an eye he was standing beside the redhead and reached for his phone.

Axel only laughed and held it out of reach. "What? I think it suits you." he said.

"Change it!" Roxas demanded, climbing up onto the desk to try and reach the black and red phone.

"Don't feel like it." Axel smirked.

He suddenly wrapped an arm around the blond and pulled him down so that Roxas was laying on top of him, blushing a deep red. "You're just too cute." murmured Axel and kissed him on the lips.

Then they heard footsteps outside the door and Demyx walked inside, as usual a pair of headphones around his neck and his guitarcase over one shoulder.

"Hey, you guys're lookin' lively!" he smiled and sat down on a desk beside Axel and Roxas. "Ya got detention again, Ax? I seriously can't believe you, whatcha do this time? 'N what 'bout you, Rox, why're you here?" he asked all in one breath.

Roxas looked at him and then turned to Axel.

"What question do ya want me to answer?" the redhead sighed, used to his friend's hyper-ness.

Demyx was about to answer, but the doors opened once again and a short boy with steel-blue hair covering his right eye entered the room. "Zexion?" the mulleted teen whispered and watched the third year, time seemed to stop as the boy swept away his long steel-blue bangs to reveal a beautiful aqua colored eye before it was covered once again. "D-did you get detention too?" Demyx asked, though he highly doubted it.

Zexion ignored the question and walked straight forward and sat down on the teacher's desk. He then looked up at the others with a neutral look. "No, I'm simply here to keep an eye on you."

"Oh." Demyx whispered, lowering his gaze. Of course that was the case, Zexion _was_ the smartest guy in school, and also part of the school's disciplinary committee.

"Sit down on your chairs and take out your math books." Zexion said and sighed. _Why am I here again?_

The other three did as he told them and soon the sound of pencils against paper and brains working at full gear were the only things heard.

Roxas' pencil suddenly made a quick turn when Axel, deciding he was bored, breathed into the blond's ear. "Axel!" exclaimed Roxas and covered his ear with his left hand, a blush covering his cheeks.

Axel chuckled and continued writing, a smug grin on his face.

Roxas shook his head and turned his attention to the equation in front of him instead, a smile gracing his lips.


	7. Chapter 7

Demyx didn't even pay half his attention to the two lovebirds, his full attention was directed to Zexion. As his pencil continued moving across the paper, he watched the bluenette. Zexion was sitting on the desk, one leg over the other, reading a book with two pale hands holding a red apple on the front cover. _Zexion likes Twilight?_

Demyx snickered at the discovery. To think the bluenette read about sparkling vampires. Demyx would've never guessed. Then suddenly an idea popped into his head and he made his way to the teacher's desk. "Zexion, could you help me with this?"

Zexion's head snapped up and he looked at Demyx as if he'd forgotten he was there, which in fact was the case.

"What do you need help with?" asked Zexion and sighed.

"Umm, pretty much everything." Demyx said and smiled.

_God he's annoying, _Zexion thought, looking up at the tall smiling blond. _But he's kinda cute when he's smiling..._ He shook his head and gestured for Demyx to sit down beside him.

The blond happily did so and opened his math book. "It's especially this part that I don't understand." he said and placed the book on his legs, intentionally touching Zexion's thigh with his hand.

Zexion shuddered at the touch but ignored it and leaned a bit forward to read the instructions. In a few seconds he had the answer calculated. "Show me your notebook." he said.

Demyx looked at him. "Why?"

"So I know if you've done it right or not." Zexion sighed. _This guy's just too much._

"Oh, okay." Demyx opened his notebook and searched for the right page. "Here it is."

"What's this?" Zexion asked and pointed with a pencil at something scribbled in a corner. "D, G, D, A?"

Demyx leaned closer so their shoulders touched. "Oh yeah, I came up with some chords for a song 'n had nowhere else to write it."

Zexion sighed and directed his attention to the equation on the middle of the paper. He arched one eyebrow in disbelief. Both the answer and pretty much everything else was as wrong as it could get. _We have a lot of work to do,_ he thought and sighed. This was going to be one of the most challenging detentions he'd ever had to be in charge of.

"Are you sure it's okay to just leave?" asked Roxas as he was struggling to keep up with Axel who was running in front of him.

The redhead glanced over his shoulder at the blond. "Of course, just hurry it up before we get caught."

_Somehow that didn't really sound that convincing._ Roxas sighed and kept running.

They'd snuck out of the classroom while Zexion was distracted by Demyx, and were now running across the school yard.

They weren't stopped and could finally catch their breath outside the gates.

"Remind me to thank Dem later, got it memorized?" said Axel and looked over at Roxas who was leaning against the brick wall.

"Yeah." he huffed, breathing quite heavily from the run.

"Man, do ya just sit on your butt all day or what?" Axel looked at Roxas who turned his gaze to meet his.

"No, my legs're just shorter than yours, that's all."

"Yeah, yeah, blame your lack of growth, shorty." laughed Axel and placed his arm on Roxas' head.

"Don't call me 'shorty'." Roxas muttered and pouted.

Axel grinned and leaned in front of Roxas' face to press their lips together. "We should go now, right Roxy~?" the redhead said and ruffled the blond spikes.

"Don't call me that either!" whined Roxas.

Axel just laughed and trew his arm around Roxas' shoulders. "If ya say so." He hugged the blonde closer and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"L-let's go get some ice cream." Roxas muttered and turned his head to hide the blush covering his cheeks.

"Sounds good."

Roxas licked on his ice cream and glansed at the redhead next to him. They were sitting on the edge of the fountain in the town square, each eating a sea-salt ice cream, and Axel with his arm trown over Roxas' shoulders.

It was a very hot summer day and the popsicles melted quick in the burning sun.

Roxas felt the melted ice cream running over his hand and chin, and tried to lick it away.

Suddenly Axel leaned in and slowly made a trace with his tongue from the point of the blond's chin and up to his lips. "You missed something." he said and grinned at the blush on Roxas' face as people turned and stared at them.

"Don't do that, people're staring." Roxas muttered and pulled away a little from the redhead.

A wide grin formed on Axel's lips as he pulled the blond closer again. "Then let's give 'em something to look at." He then pressed their lips together and let his tongue work its way into Roxas' mouth.

Roxas closed his eyes and relaxed, but remembering where they were he opened them again. "Axel!" he said and tried to push the redhead away.

"What?" Axel chuckled and pecked him on the lips, his arms wrapped tightly around the blond.

"Let me go already." Roxas squirmed and tried to make Axel release him from the embrace, but his efforts to get away only resulted in the two of them falling backwards into the fountain with a huge splash.

Roxas quickly sat up again, coughing a little from swallowing some of the water. He then quickly took out his cell phone from his pocket, and sighed in relief as it was still working. "Why'd you do that for, moron?" he said turned to Axel, who was still lying halfway in the water, looking up at the blond with his green eyes and a wide grin on his lips.

"Did what?" he asked innocently and got up to sit beside Roxas again. He then ruffled the blond spikes and rose from the stone fountain, reaching out a hand for Roxas.

"Seriously." muttered Roxas but took Axel's hand, allowing him to pull him up. "'It's thanks to you that I'm soaked."

Axel only laughed at the cute pout Roxas was making and changed his hold on Roxas' hand before they started walking towards Roxas' apartment.

"You're lucky mum's not home, or she'd freaked out." Roxas said while looking for some dry clothes, looking at Axel through a mirror on the closet door.

"I don't get what her problem is." muttered Axel, drying his hair with a towel.

"Me neither." Roxas replied and then quickly changed the subject. "Want some new clothes? You're just as soaked as me."

Axel shrugged. "I guess."

Roxas quickly searched through the closet and found a black t-shirt and some shorts. He threw them at Axel and quickly turned away as the redhead started replacing his wet clothes with the borrowed.

Axel smirked to himself and finished dressing, before he stopped and watched as Roxas took of his own shirt.

Roxas turned his head a little and noticed Axel looking him up and down with a pervy smirk on his face. "Don't look, you perv!" Roxas yelled and threw the first thing he got his hands on, a book, at the redhead.

"Ouch!" exclaimed Axel as the book hit him in the top of his head. He rubbed the sore spot and pouted. "Why'd you do that for?"

"Stop looking at me." Roxas turned towards the wall and pulled the t-shirt over his head before turning back to find Axel sitting in a corner, moping, back facing the blond. "Uuh, Axel?"

"You didn't have to start throwing things at me." Axel pouted, drawing a circle on the floor with his finger. He then turned towards Roxas and his eyes were brimming with tears. "I didn't do anything, you didn't have to throw a book at me."

Roxas wasn't sure how to handle a moping Axel, so he decided to simply try and apologise. "Ok, I'm sorry."

He was startled when Axel suddenly stood up and hugged him tightly. "I forgive you, Roxy~."

Roxas escaped the tight embrace and looked up at the redhead in disbelief. "What's wrong with you? 'N I told you not to call me Roxy."

Axel just chuckled and kissed the blond's forehead. "You're just too cute, got it memorized?"

He then ruffled Roxas' spikes and grabbed his clothes that lay on the floor. "I'll go now before your mum gets here." he said and exited the room.

Roxas stood still for some seconds and then ran after him. He stopped beside the redhead who was kneeling to tie his shoelaces. "Axel, I don't want us to be a secret."

Axel looked up at him with slight confusion. "Whaddaya mean? We're not exactly 'secret' if ya know what I mean."

"No, I mean..." Roxas took a deep breath before continuing. "I'm gonna tell mum. I mean, it's better than if she finds out elsewhere, right?"

"Right." Axel said and straightened up. "Well, good luck with that, 'cause I don't wanna be here when your mum finds out her kid's gay. See ya."

And with that he left, leaving Roxas standing alone in the hallway, trying to figure out the best and easiest way to tell his mum he was into guys.

He thought long and hard, and when he finally came up with an answer, it was not a very positive one. And his answer was; There is no 'best' way, and there's certainly NOT an easy way...

Roxas looked up at the clock on the wall in his room. 9 pm. He'd stayed in his room thinking about how to tell his mum, but he still hadn't come up with an answer. He sighed and got up from the bed, walking through the hallway and into the kitchen.

Trisha was sitting on a chair at the table, reading one of those 'How to be a better parent' books.

_Good, that shit might actually be of some use for once_, thought Roxas and sighed a bit from relief. He'd flipped through one of those books while they were moving, and he was pretty sure that somewhere among all that 'Family time' and 'Family activities' crap there was something about 'Accepting and Loving your child regardless of their sexual orientation'.

He could hear sounds from the living room, probably his dad watching TV. He sat down on a chair across from his mum and took a deep breath. "Mum..." he started, not knowing how to put his words so she wouldn't freak out.

"Yes, dear?" Trisha replied and Roxas groaned inside, that phrase was definitely something she'd picked up from that book.

He thought a little more and decided to simply say it out straight. He straightened up in his chair and took a deep breath. "I'm gay."

In the silence that followed Roxas could clearly hear what the guy on TV was saying, but the look on his mum's face kept him from registering what he was talking about.

She looked like she'd seen a ghost.

After what felt like an eternity Trisha stopped staring at him and instead glanced at the book she'd dropped on the table. She took a deep breath. "And you're certain?" she asked, and Roxas nodded. Trisha closed her eyes and then opened them again, a faked smile on her face. "Well, as long as you're happy dear, that's all that matters."

Roxas smiled. "Thanks, mum." Then he quickly got up and left, closing the door behind him as he entered his bedroom.

He slumped down onto the floor and leaned his back against the wall, trying to hold back the tears threatening to fall. He pulled out his cell phone and took some deep breaths before pressing the 'call' button. He pressed the phone tightly against his ear and listened to the beeping signals, counting them to try and calm down. After only three signals someone answered.

"Yo, 'sup?"

Roxas' tears started falling as he heard the familiar voice. "Axel..." he sniffled, his nose was starting to run.

"Rox, are you crying? What's wrong, you okay?" Axel sounded really worried all of a sudden.

"I... she..." Roxas attempted to explain, but he coldn't form a decent sentence.

"Meet me at the square." decided Axel.

"O-okay." Roxas replied and stayed still for a couple of seconds, staring at the phone and already missing the sound of the redhead's voice. The he put the cell back into his pocket and got up from the floor. He walked out into the hallway and put on his shoes before silently leaving the apartment.

Even though it was almost 9.30 pm it wasn't really dark, so there was no problem finding your way to the square. When Roxas got there Axel was already standing at the fountain, and the blond ran up to him and threw his arms around him, hugging the redhead tightly. "She... just... I..." Roxas tried to explain, but just burst into tears again.

Axel looked down at Roxas with an affectionate smile and held the crying boy gently.

They stood like that for a while, the only sounds were Roxas' now decreasing sobs, while Axel slowly cradled the blond and stroked his hair.

At last Roxas took a deep, shaky breath and looked up at the redhead. "Sorry."

"No sweat." Axel looked at him with such a caring look that Roxas almost felt like crying again.

"Axel, she didn't... she just pretended to smile, it was fake, she doesn't like me being gay." Roxas sniffled, finally able to talk somewhat coherently.

"Well, at least she pretended, that's more than ya can say 'bout my parents. They don't give a damn what I do."

Roxas wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. He felt kinda stupid.

"Feelin' better now?" Axel asked in a gentle voice, so different from his usual cocky way of speaking.

"Yeah." replied Roxas and loosened his tight grip around the redhead's middle a little before letting go completely. Truth was, he now felt really stupid.

"Well, see ya later then." he said and stood on his tiptoes to place a quick kiss on Axel's lips before turning and running towards home.

Axel slowly shook his head and walked in the opposite direction, a caring smile still on his face.


	8. Chapter 8

Axel woke up when his phone started ringing. Lying on his stomach and without opening his eyes he stretched his arm trying to find the phone on the bedside table.

_Rape me_

_Rape me my friend_

_Rape me_

_Rape me again_

His fingers found the cell and he flipped it open holding it to his ear. "Yo." he said sleepily while rubbing his eye.

"Hi, it's me." Roxas' voice said through the speaker. "I... I was wonderin' if ya wanted to hang out today or somethin'..."

Axel smiled at the sound of the blond's voice, but grunted as he saw the alarm clock on the table. "Hey Roxy, I know I'm like the hottest 'n most attracting guy in the world, but are ya really so obsessed with me that ya hafta call me at friggin' EIGHT AM?"

"S-sorry." stammered Roxas and was silent for a moment. "And yes, I am obsessed with you." he added in a lower voice and Axel knew the blond was blushing.

Axel grinned. "Well, if that's the case. Where 'n when?" he questioned, sitting up.

"The square, now?" replied Roxas.

Axel sighed dramatically. "Ya can't be serious."

"Fine, then the square in half an hour?" Roxas asked.

Axel smiled. "Deal."

Roxas closed the silver cell phone and looked at it before walking out of his room towards the kitchen. When he got closer he heard his parents' voices, it seemed like they were talking about something important. He hid outside the kitchen door without knowing why, and listened to the conversation.

"I can't believe it, of all the boys out there it had to be our son." his mum said, sounding crushed.

"Trisha, relax, being gay is normal nowadays." said Cloud, trying to calm his wife down. "It's not that big a deal, half this town is gay."

"I know that, but why? Why my little Roxas?" Now Trisha sounded like she was about to cry.

That almost made Roxas feel guilty, but he quickly pushed the feeling away. _If she doesn't wanna accept it then that's her problem._ He walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table reaching for a sandwitch, acting as if he hadn't heard anything.

"Roxas." Trisha said after a while and Roxas looked up at her from his sandwitch. "We're both free from work today so your dad and I thought we could go shopping. You need some new clothes."

Cloud made a choking sound, shopping was one of the things he liked the least, and Trisha glared at him before smiling at Roxas.

"Sorry, me 'n my friends are meetin' up today." Roxas said and tried not to smile at Cloud's relieved sigh.

"What friends?" asked his mother and you could clearly hear the cold tone in her voice.

_What should I say?_ thought Roxas, and finished his sandwitch before smiling at his mum. "Sora 'n Riku from my class." _A little lie shouldn't hurt._

"Oh, okay then, have fun." His mum smiled and Roxas stood up.

"I gotta go." he said and hurried out from the apartment.

He ran down the stairs and flung the front door open before racing down the street towards the sqare. He couldn't help himself, he wanted to see Axel, now.

Axel stood up from the stone fountain when he spotted the blond. He started walking to meet Roxas who was running towards him at quite a high speed.

When Roxas reached the redhead he crashed into him, almost causing the two of them to fall.

Axel chuckled as Roxas hugged him tightly and nuzzled against his chest. "Did ya really miss me that much?" he asked and grinned down at the blond.

Roxas looked up and his intense sapphire gaze met Axel's emerald before he looked away again.

"Yes, I did." he murmured and Axel grinned widely at the blush emerging on the other boy's cheeks.

"So, whatcha wanna do, shorty?" asked Axel and ruffled Roxas' spikes.

"Well, we could go check some shops or somethin'." Roxas replied, not even reacting to being called 'shorty'.

"Okay, let's go then!" Axel said and pushed away from the blond.

Laughing at the pout the younger teen made Axel grabbed the other's hand and began walking in the direction of the best clothing stores.

About two hours later they stood in front of a clothing rack with black, blue and red t-shirts. Thanks to some... "distractions" they were still in the same small store that they first entered.

"You should try this one." said Axel and gave Roxas a black t-shirt with a blue eye on the front.

Roxas took the tee and watched as the redhead scanned the clothes with his feline eyes.

Axel suddenly grinned and picked up a t-shirt and held it in front of himself. The tee was black and across the chest written in red was the word 'HOT'.

"Perfect, dontcha think, Roxy?" he grinned and ducked as Roxas threw a shirt at him.

"Don't get too full of yourself." the blond said but smiled at the innocent look on Axel's face.

"What? I'm just statin' the obvious." This time he didn't have time to duck and was hit in the face by the shirt Roxas threw.

"You're way too full of yourself." Roxas smiled and turned around, colliding with someone. He blinked in surprise at the boy with steel-blue hair standing in front of him. "Zexio..?"

"Zexy, where'd ya go?" Demyx suddenly walked around a shelf a bit away and spotted the two boys. "Oh, hi Roxas!"

He waved at the shorter blond as he walked up to them and stopped behind Zexion.

"Yo Dem, whatcha doin?" asked Axel and walked closer to the two blondes and the bluenette.

"We're just lookin' for some clothes." Demyx responded and placed an elbow on one of Zexion's shoulders, leaning onto the other boy. "Right, Zexy?" He pecked the bluenette on the cheek which made the shorter boy blush.

Both Roxas and Axel stared at them for a couple of seconds before Axel grinned widely. "So ya really did end up together, huh." He walked past Roxas and elbowed Zexion in the ribs. "'Bout time, Dem's had a crush on ya for years, y'know."

"I know." Zexion replied quietly, looking quite awkward.

The awkward atmosphere was suddenly lifted as they heard someone calling out something from the other end of the store.

"Roooxaaaaas!" A boy with spiky brown hair waved energetically at them and made his way through the small crowd, dragging a silverhaired boy along by the hand.

"Hi, Sora." Roxas called, just loud enough to make himself heard.

Sora almost bounced the last bit and Riku sighed at the hyperactive boy.

"Calm down a bit, will ya." he said, but his words didn't seem to affect Sora, who ran up to Roxas and the others, almost pulling Riku's arm off in the process.

"Hi, Roxas! 'S so nice to see you again!" Sora grabbed Roxas' hand in both his own, releasing Riku who moved his arm to check if the limbs were still intact.

"Umm, we saw each other yesterday, at school." Roxas said. "We were together the whole day."

"Oh yeah, you're right." Sora said, looking as if he just remembered. He then smiled again. "But it's still great to see you!"

Roxas smiled and shook his head, when he suddenly felt someone wrapping their arms around him. He glanced to the side and saw Axel staring at Sora, something possessive and somewhat protective in his green eyes.

"'N who's this?" the tall redhead asked, watching as Sora started squirming, feeling uncomfortable being stared at by those cat-like eyes.

"That's Sora, he's my friend." Roxas explained, leaning against the redhaired teen. "It's cool, he's together with Riku."

Both Sora and Riku tensed a little at that comment, but Axel relaxed and his gaze softened.

"Well in that case, I'm Axel. Got it memorized?" he said and pointed at his temple with his index finger.

"Aren't ya forgettin' someone here?" Demyx asked and walked up beside Axel and Roxas, Zexion following him closely. The mulleted teen smiled at the newcomers. "Hi, I'm Demyx, but you can call me Dem, 'n this's Zexion. I know he's cute but ya better stay away, 'cause he's mine." he said in one breath and winked at the younger boys.

"I'm Sora." said Sora and smiled.

"'N he's mine." Riku added and put his arm around the brunette pulling him closer.

The presentations were interrupted by a thud, and as the boys turned their heads towards the source they spotted a bluenette and a silverette, kissing deeply beside a shelf were half the items had been knocked down onto the floor.

"Well, if it isn't Sai 'n Xem." Axel laughed.

"Hey guys, come over here!" Demyx shouted and the kissing couple slowly parted with a loud, almost popping sound.

"You guys really know when to interrupt, don't ya." Xemnas muttered before shrugging and walking towards the others, a grumpy Saïx following closely behind.

"Lucky we did, who knows when you'd stopped otherways." joked Axel.

"Great, now we're all here!" Demyx exclaimed happily. "You know what we should do? We should all go get somethin' to eat, I'm starving!"

Axel took a sip from his soda and looked around at the others at the table. Since no other tables were free all eight of them were now squeezed down around a four person table, each with a soda in their hand, and either having someone sitting on their lap or sitting in someone's lap.

The redhead smiled hugging the blond sitting on his lap and felt Roxas leaning against him.

The younger boy turned his head a little to look at him. "You look like you're enjoyin' this."

Axel grinned widely. "More than ya think, got it memorized?"

Then they heard footsteps and looked up to see two more boys. One of them was quite skinny (not as skinny as Axel though) with a long black ponytail with some silver streaks, a scar on his left cheek and an eyepatch over his right eye, and the other boy was more muscular looking with black dreadlocks in a high ponytail, and some black strands in his face along the cheeks, probably growing sideburns.

"Yo Xem, dude, how's it goin'?" said the one with the eyepatch and grinned at Xemnas, who was sitting underneath Saïx with his arms around the bluenette.

"As usual, I guess." Xemnas shrugged.

"You're so borin' sometimes." The boy grimaced and turned to the others. "'S there room for two more?"

Without waiting for a reply he took a chair from another table and placed it the wrong way at the table end. He then sat down on the chair resting his arms on the seat back.

The one with dreadlocks stood quietly beside the skinnier teen with his hands on his back.

"Hello Xigbar, as rude as always I see." Xemnas said, not sounding too friendly.

"Rude? As if." Xigbar replied and grinned mischievously. "You know ya love me anyway."

Saïx tensed at that line and glared at Xigbar, showing his teeth in a low growl. He looked dangerous with his golden eyes gleaming with despise.

"So, who are you guys anyway?" asked Axel trying to change the subject, sensing his friend wasn't in the best mood.

"I'm Xigbar, 'n that's Xaldin." Xigbar responded, pointing with his thumb first at himself and then the other boy. "We're Xemnas' classmates."

Saïx moved a little in Xemnas' lap, while continuing to glare at the ponytailed teen.

"Chill out dude, will ya?" Xigbar sighed, still grinning. "Seriously, that guy gets jealous so easily."

"'N why's that?" asked Demyx, resting his chin on Zexion's shoulder.

"Well, it's a kinda funny story actually." Xigbar started and took a sip from Xemnas' soda, ignoring Saïx' murderous glare.

"It was bout... three years ago I think. I'd been in a few relationships by then, but it never lasted more than like a week or two. 'N then one day someone at school dared me to stick with one person for a whole month. So, I started askin' random people 'n then I asked Xem. Turned out someone dared 'im to do the same as me. So we teamed up 'n stayed together for a month, then broke up. Nothin' more to it."

He laughed and pointed at Saïx with his thumb. "But this guy has a hard time lettin stuff like that go."

Saïx growled again, he hated it when people laughed at him.

"Well, what's really important is now, right Sai?" Xemnas asked and hugged the bluenette tighter. He then started placing small kisses on Saïx' neck.

Saïx' golden glare softened at the feel of the other's lips and he closed his eyes tilting his head to the side, moaning a little.

Xigbar laughed again. "Xem's got that dude wrapped 'round 'is little finger."

The golden eyes snapped open and Saïx once again glared and growled at the irritating teen.

"This is gonna last forever." Demyx whined, expressing what they all thought.

Roxas smiled up at Axel as they walked towards the town square, close to each other and holding hands while swaying their shopping bags absent-mindedly.

Axel smiled back at him, the nearly setting sun making his hair glow and his eyes sparkle, and then turned his head forward again and they continued walking in silence.

They had parted ways with the others after doing some more shopping, and the silence felt kind of nice after the many sounds that had surrounded them during the day.

They reached the square and Axel leaned down to press their lips together, letting go of Roxas' hand and the shopping bags to wrap his arms around the blond.

Roxas also let go of his own bags and wrapped his arms around the taller teen's neck.

"Night, Rox. See ya later." murmured Axel into Roxas' ear and the blond shivered at the other's hot breath.

"Yeah, see ya." Roxas whispered, and Axel let go of the smaller boy and picked his bags up again.

He kissed Roxas on the lips again before walking away, and Roxas stood and watched the tall boy disappear.

He glanced down at his watch and stared at it in shock. "Fuck, it's already this late?" he exclaimed before he turned and started running towards his own house, only to turn back and grab his bags before running towards home again.

Roxas carefully opened the apartment door and peeked inside before entering. He quietly removed his shoes and opened the door to his room.

"Roxas?"

Roxas groaned inwardly before walking into the kitchen with a smile on his face. "Hi mum." he said and sat down on the chair closest to the door.

"How was your day?" Trisha asked rather coldly.

"Great, I met up with some friends from school." Roxas continued smiling while talking, god that smile felt so fake.

"You don't say..." Trisha looked him in the eyes, a stone hard gray stare. "Because I saw you at the shopping centre."

Roxas tensed. _How much did she see?_ But after looking at his mum he knew she hadn't seen them doing anything... gay. He relaxed a little at that.

"Who were those boys? I haven't seen them before." asked Trisha, a suspicious tone in her voice.

Roxas hesitated before spilling it all out in one breath. "Well you already know Axel, 'n the spiky haired brunette is Sora, the guy with silver hair with bangs covering his eyes is Riku, the one with the mullet is Demyx, he with long bangs covering his right eye is Zexion, 'n then there's Xemnas 'n Saïx, 'n then we met two guys called Xigbar 'n Xaldin."

"And the girl?"

Roxas looked at her with confusion. _What girl?_

"You know, the one with long, blue hair."

Roxas couldn't help himself and bursted out laughing. _She thinks Saïx is a GIRL?_

Seeing his mom's puzzled face he calmed down. "Mum, Saïx is a guy." he explained, still laughing a little.

"Then why was he clinging to-" Trisha stopped mid-sentence when she realized the answer.

Roxas's laugh caught in his throat.

"He is... homosexual... right?" said Trisha, almost spitting out the word.

Slowly, Roxas nodded.

"And the others?"

Roxas nodded again. "All of them."

His mum looked like she was going to start yelling or crying, or both.

Roxas squirmed on the chair. Now this was just the kind of situation he'd wanted to avoid.

A wellknown slam in the apartment door signaled Cloud was home. He walked right into the kitchen with his shoes on and stopped for a moment inside the kitchen door. Then he smiled and started walking again. "Rox, you done with that essay yet?" he asked in a casual tone and strolled through the kitchen towards his chair.

Roxas thankfully stood up and hurried into his room.

He closed the door before sliding down along the wall, sitting on the floor. _Dammit, dammit, dammit, DAMMIT!_ He slammed his fist down on the floor and hissed at the pain. _Dammit..._ he thought, curling up against the wall with his arms around his legs. _Dammit..._ _dammit... _He felt something fall from his eyes and making wet traces down his cheeks. _Dammit... dammit... dammit!_


	9. Chapter 9

Two days later Axel was walking towards the square, lost in thoughts involving a certain blond. _I wonder if Rox's okay, _he thought. _He didn't answer his phone when I called him yesterday..._ His thoughts were interrupted and he smiled at Roxas who came running towards him.

Roxas smiled and hugged the taller boy. "Hi." he said, his voice a little shaky, as if he had cried.

Axel pushed away the other a little and looked him into the eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked, concern in his voice.

"Nothing." Roxas smiled again, but didn't meet the emerald gaze. Instead his eyes fell on the watch around his wrist. "We better run or we'll be late, c'mon." He turned and started running towards school, Axel soon following.

After school Roxas was on his way to meet up with Axel at the school gates, though today he wasn't looking forward to it as much as he used to. He knew Axel knew something was off, and he had been avoiding the redhead the whole day because of that.

It was quite the difficult thing to do, and he felt really mean for doing it. The fact that both his friends had now finally accepted the redhead didn't make him feel any nicer either.

_"Y'know, I always thought Axel was a bad guy, but now I know he's actually pretty cool."_ Riku had said earlier that day on the way to their first lesson.

_"Yeah, he's a great guy, I'm happy for ya Rox."_ Sora had agreed and smiled widely.

Roxas adjusted the straps of his backpack on his shoulders and continued walking across the schoolyard. Suddenly, a hand grabbed his arm and pulled him behind a storage. Roxas froze at the sight of pink hair and his breath caught in his throat as a pair of blue eyes stared into his own.

"I told you to stay away from him." the guy said, his voice low and treathening. "I told you, he's mine." He growled out the last word.

Roxas immediately recognized the taller boy, it was the guy from before, the guy who had treathened and pushed him. It felt like it all happened ages ago, but it couldn't be more than a couple of weeks.

Roxas stared back into those blue orbs and felt that he had to get away from this weirdo. He broke free from the other's tight grip and ran towards the gates as fast as he could.

Behind him the pinkette looked at the running boy, and gritted his teeth. "If I can't have him..." He clenched his fists. "Then no one else will either!"

"Roxas!" exclaimed Axel when the blond came racing toward him. He grabbed the shorter boy forcing him to stop. "What's wrong?"

Roxas avoided looking into the redhead's eyes when he responded. "Nothing."

"Who do ya think you're kiddin'? Of course somethin's wrong, it's written all over your face!"

Roxas jumped at the sudden anger in Axel's voice, and looked up to meet the burning emerald eyes. "Really, it's nothing..." he said and looked down. "Sorry." He broke free from the redhead's grip and ran, not being able to handle all the feelings and thoughts running through his head.

Behind him, Axel stood in confusion. "Did I do somethin' wrong?"

Later that night, Roxas had a hard time falling asleep. He turned in his bed, covered his legs in the cover just to kick it onto the floor and then pick it up again. He was restless, no, more than restless, he was worried sick. He had a feeling something bad was going to happen, and that feeling only grew stronger and stronger every second.

At last he gave up on sleeping and walked to the window, looking up at the dark, starry night sky. He lowered his gaze a little and saw an unnatural shine behind one of the houses a bit away, past the square. It was shifting and shone an orangy red, and above the light there was a big, gray cloud.

Roxas' eyes widened. _It couldn't be..._ He quickly snatched his cell phone from his bedside table and called the first number in his contacs list, his heart beating so hard it felt like it would break out of his chest as he pressed the phone against his ear.

One signal went through, and another, and another...

Now Roxas was panicking, he shut his phone and hurried out into the hall, stopped to put his shoes on and then raced down the stairs and out through the front door. He ran past the town square, and felt the fear rising (if it even was possible) as the strange light shone stronger and he heard the distant sound of sirens.

When he finally reached his destination, his heart stopped completely. He was standing in front of Axel's house, and it was _burning!_

_Gotta get out, gotta get out, gotta get OUT!_ was the only thing in Axel's head as he made his way through the hallway. He had felt the smell of smoke earlier, and he was damn glad he decided to check it out, because when he had stepped out into the hall a wave of heat had hit him and he had realised the, aside from him, empty apartment was on fire.

He ran through the hallway, almost getting hit by a burning piece of ceiling panel. He opened the apartment door and was delighted when it opened immediately. _That's one good thing 'bout not havin' a lock._

He stepped out and slammed the door shut behind him, hearing the sound of what he assumed was the ceiling inside collapsing. Without wasting any more time the redhead turned and hurried down the stairs, determined to get as far away from the fire as possible.

"Do you know anyone who lives in there?"

Roxas tried to focus on the fireman in front of him, appearently trying to ask him something, but he couldn't. His stomack was twisting and his eyes were fixed on the front door of the apartment building.

He sighed in relief when he saw someone coming racing out of the door, immediately recognizing the red mess of hair. "Axel!"

The redhead skidded a little as he stopped in front of the blond, having ran at quite a high speed.

He bent over a little, panting from the mad dash and the adrenaline. Then he looked up at the blond and flashed him his trademark grin. "Yo Rox, 'sup?" He jumped when Roxas suddenly wrapped his arms around him.

"Dammit Axel, that's the best thing you think up to say?"

Axel felt the front of his t-shirt getting damp when the blond started crying. He gently stroke the messy spikes and before he knew it tears were forming wet traces down his own face.

They stood there, both crying and clinging onto the other for dear life while firemen ran back and forth around them.

After a while they heard someone clear their throat and looked up to see a policewoman standing next to them, holding a writing pad. "Who of you is it that live here?" she asked in a monotone, not too friendly tone.

"Me, the name's Axel." Axel responded, letting go of Roxas and discreetly wiping some tears from his face.

"So Axel, when are your parents coming home?" the woman asked, seeming as if she was reading the question directly off the pad in her hands, which probably was the case.

"Don't know, they went out drinkin' so they won't be home til' tomorrow I guess."

"Do you have any relatives to stay at until then?" the policewoman asked while scribbling something onto the pad, not even bothering to look at the redhead.

Axel shook his head. "The only one I know of is my brother 'n he lives pretty far away."

The woman looked irritated. "Any close friends then?"

"He could stay at my house." said Roxas, and the policewoman looked at him as if she had forgotten he was even there.

"And you are..?" the policewoman asked in a tired tone.

Roxas took a deep breath before answering. "I'm Roxas Strife, 'n I'm Axel's boyfriend."

The policewoman looked at him in shock before smiling. "Well in that case, I'm Sarah, nice to meet you."

Both teenagers stared at her, too shocked to reply.

Sarah scribbled something on a piece of paper and gave it to Axel. "Go stay at Roxas' house tonight, and come by the station tomorrow and we'll ask more questions then, okay? Give this to your teacher so he knows you're not just skipping school. Oh, and if Roxas wants to come too that's all right."

Axel hesitantly took the note and watched Sarah walk away towards a police car. Then he turned his eyes to Roxas who looked just as confused as himself. "Yo Rox, what the _hell_ just happened?"

Then they both started laughing.

"Ya sure you're okay with this, Rox?" Axel asked hesitantly. They were standing in front of Roxas' apartment door, unsure of whether to go inside or not.

"Yeah." the blond swallowed and opened the door, stepping into the hallway. "Mum, dad?" he called, and they heard a chair scraping against the kitchen floor.

"Oh my god Roxas, I saw it all on the news, are you all right?" Trisha came into the hall, but stopped when she spotted the redhead standing behind Roxas. "What's _he_ doing here?" she spat.

"His apartment burnt down, so he's staying here tonight." Roxas explained.

"But why _here_?" Trisha complained.

Roxas took the deepest breath he had ever taken in his life. "Because he's my boyfriend."

Trisha stared at him in shock, her grey eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. "_WHAT_?"

".." Roxas repeated slowly. He then took ahold of the redhead's hand. "C'mon, you can sleep in my room." He dragged the taller boy inside his room and closed the door.

He stared at the handle and Axel got worried when he didn't move.

"Hey Rox, you okay?"

Roxas turned around and looked up at him with pride and happiness written all over his face. "I can't believe I just did that. I can't believe I just DID that!" he said and squeeled with joy.

Axel looked down at him with an eyebrow raised before smiling. "So that means we're cool now?"

Roxas nodded excitedly, he was practically sparkling.

"Great." Axel grinned and kissed Roxas right on the lips before smiling mischievously. "Y'know, I know a good way to celebrate this."

Roxas nudged him playfully in the head. "No way, I need to take a shower."

"Well, that works too." Axel grinned and Roxas rolled his eyes.

"I can't believe you." Roxas laughed and pressed their lips together before turning around and grabbing a towel and then disappearing into the bathroom.

When Roxas returned Axel was curled up in his bed, his breathing was deep and even so Roxas assumed he was sleeping. He smiled and decided he was too tired to go get the extra mattress, so he lay down beside the redhead putting an arm around him.

"Rox?" Axel suddenly asked, startling the blond. "Why were you acting so strange before?"

Roxas hesitated before deciding to tell the truth. "It was a weird guy who told me to stay away from you. I don't know his name, but he had pink hair."

"Marluxia." Axel gritted his teeth.

"You know 'im?"

"Yeah, he's in my n Sai's class, 's been after me for ages."

"Oh." Roxas didn't look at Axel but at the wall behind him.

"Y'know what?" Axel smirked. "I have an idea to make 'im leave us alone..."

The next day, after visiting the police station for further questioning about the fire, and to get invited to lunch by Sarah, Axel and Roxas returned to school.

"Oh-my-god-oh-my-god-oh-my-GOD!"

Roxas was almost knocked off his feet when Sora crashed into him.

"Mum-told-me-what-happened-oh-my-god-Roxas-are-you-okay?" the brunette yelled into Roxas' ear before getting pulled off of the poor blond by Riku.

"Calm down Sora, it wasn't my house that was burning." Roxas said.

"Yeah, I know, but still." Sora pouted. "You were there too."

Before Roxas could say anything in return he was interrupted by an angry shout.

"AXEL!"

Saïx made his way across the school yard with angry steps and stopped in front of Axel before punching the redhead right in the face. "Don't you fucking do that _ever_ again, or I swear I'll fucking _kill_ you, damnit!"

Axel looked at his childhood friend, as violent as ever, while holding his now bleeding nose. Then he smiled. "Yeah yeah, I love you too."

Saïx' lips curved upwards at that. "I'm sure ya do."

"Who wouldn't." Xemnas suddenly said, appearing a bit away from them, smiling as he stood beside his boyfriend.

Right then the bell rang, and the gang split up to go to their classes. Roxas walked a bit behind Sora and Riku, and therefor they didn't notice when Roxas was suddenly pulled behind a pillar by a certain, pinkhaired boy.

"I told you something bad was going to happen to 'im." Marluxia hissed. "'N the next time will be even worse."

"Really? Now wouldn't that be interestin' to watch."

Marluxia jumped and let go of the blond at the sound of Axel's voice. "A-axel, I-"

"Y'know, this could very well get you expelled." Axel said in a calm voice and grinned a little as Roxas stood beside him.

Marluxia stared at him for a moment before shooting back. "Yeah right, like anyone would belive _you_."

"Well, not me, but my pal happens to be together with one from the school's disciplinary committee." Axel smiled triumphantly. "I bet they'd believe him."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Oh, yes I would." Axel grinned even wider and now Roxas saw why the redhead had such a reputation, he looked pretty intimidating.

"But, I could consider not telling anyone, if you do somethin' for me instead."

Marluxia looked at him suspiciously. "And what's that?"

Axel leaned in closer to the pinkette and looked him straight in the eyes. "You leave me 'n my boyfriend alone."

Marluxia glared back at him.

"'S your own choice." said Axel and pulled away. "Either ya do as I say 'n live a happy life, or ya don't 'n are expelled." Axel put his arm around Roxas' shoulders and turned to walk away, but before they went he looked over his shoulder. "'N by the way, that third year Vexen guy's been checking you out for quite some time."

Marluxia immediately straightened and a hand unconsciously reached up to fix his hair while his cheeks turned a slightly pink tone. "Ya think so?"

"Sure do." replied Axel and walked away, hugging Roxas close to himself.

"Axel, why'd you tell him that thing 'bout Vexen?" Roxas asked when they were out of hearing distance from the pinkette, looking up at the redhead.

Axel kept looking straight forward while answering. "Cause it'll be easier for 'im to leave us alone if he's got somthin' else to do. And..." He turned his face towards Roxas and smiled. "Everyone deserves a happy ending, right?"


End file.
